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GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 

*  * 

Four  hundred  copies  have  been 
printed    for    private    distribution 
No. 


DANIEL    BUTTERFIELO    MAJOR  GENERAL    U.S  V 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL 
MEMORIAL  ^/GENERAL 
DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 

INCLUDING  MANY  ADDRESSES 
and    MILITARY    WRITINGS 

Edited  by 

JULIA  LORRILARD  BUTTERFIELD 

With    Portraits  and  Illustrations 


THE  GRAFTON  PRESS 
NEW  YORK      MCMIIII 


E 


This  Memorial  Volume  is  Dedicated 
To  the  Survivors  of  the  New  York  Twelfth  Regiment ; 

The  Third  Brigade ;  the  First  Division,  and 

The  Fifth  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac;  also  to  the 

Third  Division,  Twentieth  Corps,  Army  of  the  Cumberland; 

All  of  Which 

General  Butterfield  Commanded  During  the 
Civil  War. 


MG4.649 


There  are  two  kinds  of  biographies,  and  of  each  kind  we 
have  seen  examples  in  our  time.  One  is  a  golden  chalice  held 
up  by  some  wise  hand  to  gather  the  earthly  memory  ere  it  is 
spilt  on  the  ground;  the  other  is  a  millstone  hung  around  the 
hero's  neck,  to  fling  him  as  deep  as  possible  into  oblivion.  Let 
us  hope  that  he  who  writes  these  pages  may  take  for  his  model 
the  faultless  biographies  we  possess,  and  condense  the  volume 
within  such  limits  as  shall  commend  it  not  only  to  partial 
friends,  but  also  to  some  other  readers. 
— "MEMORIAL  OF  COLONEL  HENRY  SANFORD  GANSEVOORT." 

In  the  beauty  of  the  lilies  Christ  was  born  across  the  sea, 
With  a  glory  in  His  bosom  that  transfigures  you  and  me ; 
As  He  died  to  make  men  holy,  let  us  die  to  make  men  free, 
While  God  is  marching  on. 

— JULIA  WARD  HOWE. 

The  deed  lasts  in  memory,  the  doer  is  not; 
The  word  liveth  on,  but  the  voice  is  forgot. 
Be  we  content,  then,  to  pass  into  shade, 
Vision  and  voice  in  oblivion  laid, 
And  live  in  the  light  that  our  actions  have  made. 

— DEAN  ALFORD. 


PREFACE 

It  has  been  the  earnest  endeavor  of  the  editor  of  this  volume 
to  avoid  all  exaggeration,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  to  permit 
General  Butterfield  to  tell  the  story  of  his  active  military  life. 
Unfortunately  for  the  complete  success  of  this  plan,  he  was  not 
a  diarist,  but  from  his  letter-books  and  dispatches,  together 
with  appreciations  kindly  contributed  by  several  army  comrades, 
and  also  from  the  General's  addresses,  delivered  during  the 
last  two  decades  of  his  busy  career,  it  is  believed  that  within 
the  covers  of  this  book  a  fairly  complete  account  of  his  military 
life  will  be  found.  It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  the  nu 
merous  letters  written  to  his  own,  and  his  father's  family  dur 
ing  the  Civil  War,  which  would  have  added  to  the  interest  and 
value  of  the  volume,  were  not  preserved. 

It  only  remains  for  me  to  make  acknowledgment  to  my 
friend,  General  Wilson,  for  his  sage  advice  and  most  valuable 
assistance  kindly  contributed  in  the  preparation  of  this  privately 
printed  memorial  volume  of  my  husband;  also  to  express  my 
indebtedness  for  courtesies  received  from  General  Robert  Avery 
and  Colonel  Ehler^,  of  the  Old  Guard  Association.  Ac 
knowledgments  are  due  to  Ellis  H.  Roberts,  Treasurer  of  the 
United  States,  and  to  President  Raymond  of  Union  College; 
also  to  Generals  Howard,  Oliver,  Sickles  and  Tremain,  for 
tributes  to  the  memory  of  their  friend  and  comrade,  courteously 
contributed  to  this  biography. 

J.  L.  B. 

New  York,  April,  1904. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.— Ancestry— Benjamin  Butterfield— John  Butterfield— Birth  of 
Daniel — Boyhood — At  College — Studies  Law — Goes  to  New 
Orleans — In  Business — Becomes  a  Soldier — Colonel  of  the 
Twelfth  Regiment — Proceeds  to  Washington I 

II. — The  Twelfth  in  Washington — In  Virginia — Butterfield  Pro 
moted — Commands  a  Brigade — With  General  Patterson — Bu 
gle  Calls — The  Siege  of  Yorktown — Battle  of  Hanover  Court 
House — Captures  Gun — Official  and  Other  Reports — Gold 
Spurs— Speech  at  Presentation 30 

III. — The  Medal  of  Honor — Wounded  at  Games'  Mill — Remin 
iscences  of  Butterfield — Commands  a  Division — Second  Man- 
assas — Made  Major-General — Commands  Fifth  Corps — Bat 
tle  of  Fredericksburg — Official  Orders — Letter  to  Secretary 
Chase  76 

IV. — Hooker's  Chief  of  Staff — Army  Corps  Badges — A  Lincoln 
Story — Camp  and  Outpost  Duty — Battle  of  Chancellorsville — 
Battle  of  Gettysburg — Butterfield  Wounded — Letters  from 
General  Meade — Article  on  Gettysburg — Concerning  Colored 
Troops — Battle  of  Resaca 1 16 

V. — Letter  from  Sherman — Preventing  New  York  Riots — Several 
Lincoln  Anecdotes — Charles  Sumner — Princess  Salm-Salm — 
Presentation  of  Flags — In  Command  of  Troops — Appointed 
Superintendent  Recruiting — Receives  a  Sword  of  Honor  and 
Several  Badges 149 

VI. — The  Grant  Fund — Letter  from  General  Grant — Letter  from 
Sheridan — Resigns  from  the  Army — Appointed  Sub-Treas 
urer — Visits  Europe — Post-office  Report — Married  in  Lon 
don — Accompanies  Emperor  to  Review — Dinner  to  Comte  de 
Paris — Speeches  by  Sherman,  Slocum,  Butterfield  and  the 
Comte — Gifts  170 


x  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

VII.— The  Centennial  Parade— The  Butterfield  Lectures— Gettys 
burg  Celebration — Action  in  Spanish  War — Raised  Regi 
ments —  Distributes  Flags  —  Presents  Sword  to  Admiral 
Philip — President  Military  Convention — Fifth  Corps  Monu 
ment — Presentation  of  Butterfield  Tablet — Illness — Death — 
Funeral — Tributes  to  His  Memory 197 

ADDRESSES  AND  ARTICLES 

The  Funeral  of  Daniel  Webster 250 

Oration  at  Cold  Spring,  N.  Y.,  July  4,  1885 253 

Council  of  War  at  Gettysburg  on  the  Second  Day 257 

Twenty-eight  Years  After 261 

Lecture  on  St.  Brendin's  Voyage 267 

Oration  on  Character  and  Duty 281 

Address  to  the  Third  Brigade  Association 291 

Russia  As  It  is 294 

The  Last  Charge  at  Fredericksburg 301 

Fourth  of  July  Oration,  at  Ogdensburg,  N.  Y.,  1894 311 

Address  at  the  Dedication  of  the  Herkimer  Monument,  November 

12,  1896 325 

Address  at  the  Reunion  at  Chattanooga,  September  18,1895 328 

Address  at  the  Fishkill  Monument  Dedication,  October  14,  1897...  333 
Address  at  Cornell  University,  Founder's  Day,  January  n,  1898..  341 
Address  at  Presentation  of  Flag  to  Columbia  University,  May  7, 

1898  360 

What  Shall  Our  Colonial  Policy  Be? 362 

Remarks  on  His  Presentation  to  the  Cullum  Memorial  Hall  at 

West  Point,  of  the  Portrait  of  General  George  Washington, 

May   30,    1900 369 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Portrait  of  General  Butterfield Frontispiece 

Engraved  on  steel,  by  Samuel  Hollyer,  from  a  photograph  FACING 

by  Brady,  1870.  PAGE 

The  Stage  that  made  the  first  overland  trip  to  and  from  California 

in     1858 5 

Portrait  of  John   Butterfield 7 

From  a  photograph,  about  1860. 

Camp  Anderson,  Franklin  Square,  Washington,  D.  C,  May,  1861..     19 
Portrait  of  Colonel  Butterfield 24 

From  a  photograph  by  Rockwood,  1861. 

Advance  of  the  New  York  Twelfth  Regiment  into  Virginia,  May 
24,   1861 37 

From  a  large  painting  by  Edwin  Forbes,  made  for  the  Old  Guard  Association. 
The  Congressional  Medal  of  Honor  and  Gold  Spurs 76 

The  Battle  of  Games'  Mill,  Va.,  June  27,  1862 81 

From  a  drawing  by  the  Prince  de  Joinville. 

General  Butterfield  at  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg,  July,  1863 116 

Butterfield  Bronze  Tablet  of  Twelfth  Regiment  Monument  on  Lit 
tle  Round  Top,  and  early  portrait  of  Colonel  Butterfield 125 

From  a  photograph  by  Gurney,  1850. 

General  Butterfield  descending  from  Lookout  Mountain,  November 

24,   1863 138 

The  Battle  of  Resaca,  Ga.,  May  15,  1864 144 

From  a  large  painting  by  James  Walker,  presented  to  the  Old  Guard 
Association  by  General  Butterfield. 

Sword  of  Honor,  Army  of  the  Potomac  Badge,  Fifth  Corps  Badge, 
Twentieth  Corps  Badge,  Twelfth  Regiment  Cross  and  Diamond 

Badge  168 

Facsimile  of  Letter  from  General  Grant,  February  17,  1866 171 

Facsimile  of  Invitation  from  General  Butterfield,  June  17,  1872....   176 
Comte  de  Paris  speaking  at  dinner  given  in  his  honor  in  New  York, 

October  20,  1890,  by  officers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 181 

General  Butterfield's  Dining-room  in  his  New  York  residence 205 

The  Fifth  Corps  Monument,  Fredericksburg,  Virginia 211 

Marble  Tomb  of  General  Butterfield  in  the  West  Point  Cemetery. .  222 
Monument  erected  at  Gettysburg  to  the  Twelfth  and  Forty-fourth 
Regiments    224 

Portrait  of  General  Butterfield 275 

From  a  photograph  by  Brady,  about  1890. 

Portrait  of  General  Butterfield 300 

From  a  photograph  by  Fredericks,  about  1895. 

Portrait  of  General  Butterfield 325 

From  a  photograph  by  Rockwood,  1900. 

Copy  of  Trumbull's   Painting  of  Washington 369 

Presented  to  Memorial  Hall,  West  Point,  by  General  Butterfield. 

The  Spring  near  the  railway  station  where  Washington  frequently 
drank  and  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Cold  Spring 372 


DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 

1831-1901 

MILITARY  RECORD. — Private  New  York  State  Militia;  Lieu 
tenant,  Captain,  Major  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  7ist  Regiment, 
New  York  State  Militia;  First  Sergeant  "Clay  Guards,"  Wash 
ington,  D.  C.,  April  16,  1861  ;  Colonel  i2th  Regiment,  New 
York  State  Militia  (three  months'  service)  ;  Lieutenant-Colonel 
I2th  Infantry,  U.  S.  Army,  May  14,  1861 ;  Brigadier-General 
U.  S.  Volunteers,  September  7,  1861  ;  Major-General,  Novem 
ber  29,  1862;  Colonel  5th  Infantry,  U.  S.  Army,  July  I,  1863; 
resigned  March  14,  1870.  Brevet  Brigadier-General,  March 
13,  1865,  "for  gallant  and  meritorious  service  during  the  war," 
and  Brevet  Major-General,  March  13,  1865,  "for  gallant  and 
meritorious  services  in  the  field  during  the  war." 

CAMPAIGNS  AND  ENGAGEMENTS. — Defences,  Washington, 
D.  C. ;  General  Patterson's  Shenandoah,  Va.,  Campaign ;  Penin 
sula  Campaign  (commanding  3d  Brigade,  ist  Division,  5th 
Corps),  Yorktown,  Hanover  Court  House,  Mechanicsville, 
Turkey  Bend,  Games'  Mill  (where  wounded),  Peach  Orchard, 
Savage  Station,  White  Oak  Swamp,  Glendale,  Malvern  Hill, 
Second  Manassas,  Fredericksburg  (commanding  5th  Army 
Corps),  Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg  (where  wounded- — 
Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac)  ;  Wauhatchie 
(Chief  of  Staff  nth  and  I2th  Army  Corps,  Campaign  of  Chat 
tanooga  and  Lookout  Mountain)  ;  Pea  Vine,  Ringgold,  Buz 
zard  Roost  (commanding  3d  Division,  2Oth  Army  Corps)  ; 
Resaca,  Dallas,  New  Hope  Church,  Golgotha,  Kenesaw  Moun 
tain,  Kolb's  Farm  and  Cassville. 

MILITARY  HONORS  AND  POSITIONS. — Congressional  Medal  of 
Honor  for  gallantry  at  Games'  Mill,  Va.,  June  27,  1862. 
President  of  the  Society  of  Army  of  Potomac,  1891.  New 
York  State  Commissioner  of  Gettysburg  and  Chattanooga 
Battlefields.  President  Old  Guard  Association,  Twelfth  Regi 
ment,  N.  Y.  National  Guard.  Member  Sons  of  the  Revolu 
tion.  Commander  Lafayette  Post,  No.  140,  G.  A.  R.,  New 
York  City.  Member  Military  Order  Loyal  Legion,  of  which 
he  was  Chancellor  in  1866.  Russian  Emperor's  Guest  at  Mili 
tary  Review.  President  Third  Brigade  Association.  Marshal  of 
the  Sherman  Funeral  Procession.  Member  Military  Service  In 
stitution.  Honorary  Member  Eleventh  Army  Corps.  Mar 
shal  of  the  Centennial  Parade  of  1889,  in  which  100,000  men 
took  part,  and  also  aided  the  Mayor  of  New  York  in  the  Recep 
tion  of  Admiral  Dewey  in  1899. 


GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 


CHAPTER  I. 

Ancestry— Benjamin  Butterfield— John  Butterfield— Birth  of  Daniel 
—Boyhood — At  College — Studies  Law — Goes  to  New  Orleans — 
In  Business — Becomes  a  Soldier — Colonel  of  the  Twelfth  Regi 
ment — Proceeds  to  Washington. 

BENJAMIN  BUTTERFIELD,,  the  ancestor  of  the  subject  of  this 
memorial  volume,  and  from  whom  the  American  family  chiefly 
derive  issue,  settled  at  Charlestown  in  the  Bay  Colony  in  1638. 
In  England,  from  whence  he  came  with  wife  and  several  chil 
dren,  the  family  date  their  arrival  from  Normandy  in  the 
twelfth  century.  Robert  de  Buteville  held  lands  in  Bedfordshire 
and  Norfolk  in  1165.  John  de  Buteville  was  the  possessor  of 
the  lordship  of  Cheddington,  in  Bucks,  in  1316.  The  name 
Botevyle  occurs  in  the  Battle  Abbey  roll.  The  estate  of  Boute- 
ville  was  near  Carentum,  in  Normandy,  a  town  at  the  mouth  of 
the  River  Tante.  There  may  still  be  seen  ancient  fortifications, 
a  castle,  and  a  curious  Norman  church.  A  branch  of  the  family 
settled  at  Church  Stretton,  Shropshire.* 

The  name  of  Benjamin  Butterfield  appears  among  the  first 
town  orders  of  Woburn,  and  in  1643  ne  was  made  a  Freeman. 
Two  years  later  his  name  is  included  on  the  Woburn  tax  list. 
In  1652  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  petitioned  for  leave  to  ex 
plore  the  \vest  side  of  the  Concord  River.  The  report  stated  that 
it  was  "a  very  comfortable  place  to  accommodate  a  company  of 
God's  people."  The  following  year  Butterfield  headed  a  petition 
of  twenty-nine,  including  the  petitioners  of  the  preceding  year, 
for  a  tract  of  land  six  miles  square,  "to  begin  at  the  Merrimac 
River,  at  a  neck  of  land  next  to  Concord  River,"  to  run  south- 

*In  early  deeds  and  other  documents,  the  name  also  appears  as  Bote- 
feld,  Botesville,  Botfleld,  Bouteville,  Buterfeld,  Buterfeild,  Buterfleld, 
Butterfeild,  and  Butterfeilde. 

1 


DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 

,-jerly  .on  Concord  River  and  westerly  into  the  wild  country.  The 
place  was  knoWri  to' the  natives  as  Naamkeek.  About  the  same 
time  the  Rev.  John  Eliot,  the  Indian  apostle,  received  a  grant 
of  "the  Great  Neck,"  an  adjoining  tract,  as  a  reserve  for  his 
Christianized  Naticks,  which  was  known  as  Wamesit.  The  six- 
mile  tract  was  occupied  in  1654  by  Benjamin  Butterfield  and 
his  associates,  and  in  the  following  year  was  incorporated  as 
Chelmsford.  In  1656  he  is  named  as  one  of  the  citizens  of  the 
new  settlement,  to  whom  the  Governor  Thomas  Dudley  farm  of 
fifteen  hundred  acres  in  Bellerica  was  conveyed.  In  1686  the 
Indian  reservation  of  Wamesit  was  purchased  by  the  whites, 
and  three  of  Butterfield's  sons,  Nathaniel,  Samuel  and  Joseph, 
were  among  the  grantees.* 

Daniel  Butterfield,  the  grandfather  of  the  General,  was  a 
native  of  Berne,  in  the  Helderberg,  not  far  distant  from  Albany, 
the  capital  of  New  York.  His  father,  Timothy,  saw  service  in 
the  War  of  the  Revolution,  and  his  kinsmen,  James,  Jonas  and 
Thomas,  also  participated  as  lieutenants  of  New  Hampshire  and 
Vermont  regiments  in  the  seven  years'  struggle  for  independ 
ence.  The  General's  maternal  grandfather,  Gamaliel  Olmstead, 
enlisted  in  February,  1778,  in  the  company  of  Captain  Joseph 
Walker,  of  Stratford,  Conn.,  of  Colonel  Samuel  B.  W'ebb's  regi 
ment  of  the  Connecticut  Continental  Infantry  for  three  years, 
being  honorably  discharged  at  the  expiration  of  that  period.  It 
is  a  singular  and  interesting  circumstance  that  when  private 
Olmstead's  term  of  service  was  completed,  his  regiment  was  in 
quarters  on  the  east  side  of  the  Hudson,  opposite  West  Point, 
on  the  precise  spot  of  General  Butterfield's  summer  residence 
of  "Cragside,"  Cold  Spring.  John  Butterfield,  the  son  of 
Daniel,  was  born  in  Berne,  on  the  Van  Rensselaer  Manor,  No 
vember  18,  1801,  and  began  his  career  as  a  stage-driver  for  an 
Albany  firm,  his  education  being  limited  to  a  brief  period  dur 
ing  several  winters,  when  he  attended  such  primitive  schools  as 
then  existed  in  the  Helderberg.  He  early  established  himself  in 
Utica,  with  the  progress  of  which  city  he  was  closely  identified. 

"Vide  "The  Butterfields  of  Middlesex,"  by  George  A.  Gordon,  A.M., 
Boston,  1890. 


GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD       3 

For  many  years  Mr.  Butterfield  was  the  leading  spirit  in  the 
direction  of  the  stages  which  at  that  time  formed  the  only  public 
conveyances  through  what  is  at  present  the  center  of  the  Em 
pire  State.  He  climbed  from  the  driver's  seat  to  a  principal 
share  in  the  proprietorship. 

In  1790  Jason  Parker,  from  Massachusetts,  had  settled  at 
New  Hartford,  where  he  cleared  up  two  farms.  He  was  in 
Utica  in  1794,  and  was  post-rider  between  Whitestown  and 
Canajoharie,  his  wife  sometimes  eking  out  the  trip  between 
Utica  and  Whitestown.  In  that  year  the  bringing  by  the  west 
ern  mail  of  six  letters  for  Fort  Schuyler  was  thought  so  re 
markable  that  it  had  to  be  attested  by  John  Post,  then  postmas 
ter.  In  1795  Parker  conducted  a  stage  twice  a  week  from 
Whitestown  to  Fort  Schuyler,  and  thence  to  Canajoharie, 
there  connecting  with  the  Albany  and  Cooperstown  stages.  In 
1799  he  ran  a  mail  stage  from  Utica  to  Schenectady,  and  in 
1802  westward  to  Onondaga.  In  1804  Parker  and  Levi  Ste 
phens  obtained  the  exclusive  right  for  seven  years  of  running 
stages  on  the  Seneca  turnpike  between  Utica  and  Canandaigua. 
In  1810-11,  there  was  a  daily  line  between  Utica  and  Albany, 
and  another  tri-weekly.  At  the  time  of  Parker's  decease,  in 
1830,  there  were  eight  lines  of  stages  running  east  and  west 
from  Utica,  besides  twelve  daily,  semi-weekly  or  weekly  lines 
north  and  south,  in  most  of  which  he  was  or  had  been  inter 
ested.  In  1811  Parker  and  Powell  announced  that  the  daily 
mail  stage  leaves  Baggs'  Hotel,  Utica,  at  4  o'clock  a.  m., 
breakfasting  at  Maynard's,  Herkimer;  dining  at  Shepard's, 
Palatine;  supping  (on  oysters)  at  Thomas',  Schenectady.  In 
1816  Parker  and  his  associates  were,  besides  their  other  lines, 
running  a  line  three  times  a  week  between  Albany  and  Canan 
daigua,  by  the  way  of  Auburn,  Skaneateles,  Onondaga,  Mau 
ritius,  Cazenovia,  Madison  and  Cherry  Valley.  Jason  Parker, 
Theodore  S.  Faxton,  Silas  D.  Childs  and  John  Butterfield  de 
veloped  the  transportation  of  passengers  and  of  articles  by  ex 
press,  that  gave  Utica  an  unrivaled  prestige  in  the  department 
of  business. 

Mr.  Faxton,  then  connected  with  Parker,  went  to  Albany  and 


4       GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 

engaged  John  Butterfield  to  pick  up  passengers  for  their  stages. 
After  being  for  a  time  thus  engaged  he  bought  a  horse  and  con 
veyance,  and  made  these  the  nucleus  of  a  livery  business,  long 
the  principal  establishment  of  that  kind  in  Utica.  He  continued 
with  Parker  &  Co.  while  they  were  in  business,  and  until  Mr. 
Parker's  death  in  1828,  afterward  establishing  lines  of  his  own. 
He  became  interested  in  packet  boats  on  the  canal,  and  in  steam 
boats  on  Lake  Ontario,  in  the  construction  of  plank  roads  lead 
ing  to  Utica  and  was  the  originator  of  its  street  railroads.  He 
more  than  any  other  promoted  and  secured  the  building  of  the 
Black  River  and  the  Southern  railroads.  When  the  prac 
tical  uses  of  the  electric  telegraph  were  demonstrated  he 
joined  Faxton,  Wells,  Livingston  and  others  in  establishing  the 
New  York,  Albany  and  Buffalo  Telegraph  Company,  and  urged 
the  extension  of  other  lines  and  companies. 

John  Butterfield  possessed  indomitable  will  and  the  intelli 
gence  which  is  farseeing  and  finds  expression  in  enterprises 
that  are  ever  increasing  in  scope.  He  was  a  pioneer  in  the  trans 
portation  business,  and  aided  in  developing  it  from  the  crude 
methods  of  the  stage  coach  to  those  of  the  fast  trains  of  our 
own  time.  In  1849  ne  formed  the  express  company  of  Butter- 
field,  Wasson  and  Co.,  being  among  the  first  who  saw  the  profit 
to  be  gained  by  the  rapid  carriage  of  merchandise  that  would 
bear  express  charges.  The  success  of  that  important  enterprise 
was  largely  owing  to  him ;  he  was  a  directing  power  in  it  dur 
ing  his  life  and  reaped  from  it  great  distinction  and  pecuniary 
power.  Later  the  business  was  conducted  and  is  still  known 
as  the  American  Express  Company,  among  the  greatest  corpor 
ations  of  the  country.  As  President  of  the  Overland  Stage 
Company  he,  in  1858,  before  the  building  of  the  transcontinen 
tal  railways,  contracted  with  the  United  States  Government  to 
carry  a  tri-weekly  mail  between  San  Francisco  and  the  Missis 
sippi  River.  Mr.  Butterfield  himself  arrived  in  St.  Louis  Octo 
ber  9  with  the  first  overland  mail  twenty-three  days  from  the 
Pacific  coast.  The  following  dispatches  appeared  in  the  lead 
ing  journals  of  the  land  : 


The  Stage  Coach  that  made  the  first  round  trip  from  California  in  1858. 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  5 

WASHINGTON,  Oct.  9,  1858. 

"The  President  has  received  a  telegraphic  dispatch  from  John 
Butterfield,  President  of  the  Overland  Mail  Company,  dated  St. 
Louis,  Oct.  9,  informing  him  that  the  great  overland  mail  ar 
rived  there  to-day  from  San  Francisco  in  twenty-three  days  and 
four  hours,  and  that  the  stages  brought  through  six  passengers. 

The  President  replied  by  telegraph  as  follows : 

WASHINGTON,  Oct.  9,  1858. 
JOHN  BUTTERFIELD,  President,  etc. : 

SIR — Your  dispatch  has  been  received.  I  cordially  congratu 
late  you  upon  the  result.  It  is  a  glorious  triumph  for  civilization 
and  the  Union.  Settlements  will  soon  follow  the  course  of  the 
road,  and  the  East  and  the  West  will  be  bound  together  by  a 
chain  of  living  Americans,  which  can  never  be  broken. 

JAMES  BUCHANAN. 

This  mail  was  to  have  left  San  Francisco  on  the  i6th  of  Sep 
tember.  Our  previous  advices  were  of  the  6th  of  that  month. 
Consequently  the  news  from  California  is  eleven  days  later,  and 
it  ought  to  be  here  to-night.  This  is  the  first  trip  of  the  over 
land  mail  from  the  Pacific,  and  its  arrival  at  St.  Louis  at  this 
early  date  shows  what  can  be  done.  It  was  not  expected  to 
reach  Fort  Smith  till  the  I3th  inst." 

Besides  these  extensive  operations  Mr.  Butterfield  was  a  di 
rector  in  the  Utica  City  National  Bank,  and  interested  in  other 
stock  companies  and  business  undertakings,  in  land  investments 
in  and  about  Utica,  and  in  their  cultivation.  Among  the  impor 
tant  edifices  planned  and  built  by  him  were  the  Butterfield 
House  and  the  Butterfield  (now  Gardner)  Block.  He  was  an 
efficient  officer  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society,  and  other 
country  and  city  organizations.  Utica,  his  home  for  so  many 
years,  largely  benefited  by  his  clear  prescience  of  the  future,  his 
enterprise,  public  spirit  and  sagacity.  It  may  safely  be  said  that 
John  Butterfield  was  its  most  prominent  citizen  in  promoting 
its  interests  and  maintaining  its  prosperity.* 

*In  1845  the  firm  of  Livingston,  Wells  and  Co.  had  received  a  valuable 
acquisition  in  the  services  of  William  G.  Fargo,  who  was  chosen  as  a 
suitable  man  to  extend  the  express  into  the  country  west  of  Buffalo,  and 
Fargo  did  not  disappoint  his  employers.  He  worked  with  extraordinary 


6  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

Mr.  Butterfield  was  the  comprehensive  type  of  the  business 
man ;    he    had    organizing  genius,  an  intuitive  perception  of 
means    to    desired    results,  and  the  imagination,  guided    by 
judgment,  which  saw  the  end  from  the  beginning.   His  success 
was  achieved,  says  Dr.  Bagg,  "by  careful  insight  and  minute 
attention  to  details,  wherein  he  was  aided  by  a  memory  wonder 
fully  retentive  and  by  a  strong  and  enduring  will,  by  the  con 
tagious  influence  of  his  determination  exercised  on  others,  bear 
ing  them  along  in  the  current  of  his  own  enthusiasm,  and  by  an 
energy  that  was  balked  by  no  obstacle,  and  never  asked  for  rest. 
*     *     *     Such  confidence  had  Mr.  Butterfield  inspired  by  the 
generally  prosperous  results  of  his  operations,  so  accurate  was 
deemed  his  insight  in  his  peculiar  field,  and  so  many  were  the 
instances  in  which  his  advance  led  others  to  the  improvement 
of  their  fortunes,  that  his  approval  and  co-operation  in  a  scheme 
were  apt  to  be  deemed  conclusive  of  its  merit.   In  the  most  of 
his  varied  transactions  he  trusted  little  to  bookkeepers,  and  such 
of  his  business  as  he  did  not  carry  in  his  head  he  carried  in 
loose  papers  in  his  hat.     *     *     *     Such  continued  mental  ten 
sion,  with  never  a  moment  of  relaxation,  detached  from  one 
pursuit  only  to  be  fastened  upon  another,  and  without  even  a 
book  in  which  to  coil  away  his  cares  and  relieve  the  burdened 
memory,  was  a  strain  that  no  mind  could  support.   He  yielded 
for  a  time  and  was  wholly  withdrawn  from  active  life.  Return- 
force,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  express  wagons  were  traveling  at 
regular  intervals  between  the   East,    Cincinnati,    Chicago,    and    St.    Louis. 
Several  changes  occurred  during  the  next  few  years  in  the  style  and  the 
constituency  of  the  original  firm,  and  in  1850  it  was  represented  by  Wells 
and  Co.,  Livingston  and  Fargo,    and    Butterfield,    Wasson,    and    Co.,    who 
were  opposed  to  each  other.    The  principal  of  the  latter  firm  was  a  man 
of  wealth.    He  had  been  a  stage-coach    driver    when    a    young    man,    and 
had  risen  to  be  the  owner  of  nearly  all  the  stage  lines  running  in  Western 
New  York.    In  1849  he  was  engaged    in    transporting    freight    across    the 
Isthmus   of   Panama.     He  was  also  projector  of  the  Morse  Telegraph  line 
between  Buffalo  and  New  York,  and  he  not  only  built  it,  but  also  put  it 
into   successful   operation.    Enlisting  others  with  him,  he  founded  a  line  of 
Lake  Ontario  and  St.  Lawrence  steamers,  and  in  1849  he  formed  the  ex 
press  company  of  Butterfield,  Wasson  and  Co.    We  suppose  he  may  claim 
to  be  founder  of  the  American     Express     Company,    for     in     1850    he    ap 
proached  Henry  Wells  with    the    acceptable    proposition    that    the    three 
firms  should  be  consolidated  under  that  title.    No  time  was  lost  in  con 
summating  the  necessary  arrangements,  and  the  Adams  Express  Company 
then  found  a  rival  which  has  advanced  with  it  step  by  step,  and  is  now 
one  of  the  wealthiest  corporations   in   America. — Harper's   Magazine,   Au 
gust,  1875. 


Mr.  John  Butterfield,  about  1860. 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD  7 

ing  health  found  him  as  busy  as  ever  and  as  intent  on  his  multi 
farious  projects." 

In  1867  Mr.  Butterfield  was  stricken  by  paralysis,  from  the 
effects  of  which  he  lingered  until  the  I4th  of  November,  1869. 
In  the  large  assemblage  at  his  funeral,  wealth,  intelligence, 
business  circles,  and  laboring  men  were  all  represented.  Few 
citizens  of  his  prominence  had  ever  had  among  the  laboring 
class  so  many  attached  and  grateful  friends.  The  pall-bearers  ar 
his  funeral  were  Governor  Seymour,  Senator  Kernan,  Judges 
Bacon  and  Williams,  Stephen  and  John  Thorn,  Ezra  S. 
Barnum,  and  James  Sayre.  During  the  obsequies  at  Trinity 
Church,  by  request  of  the  city  authorities,  all  business  in  Utica 
was  suspended. 

Mr.  Butterfield  was  married  to  Malinda  Harriet  Baker  in 
February,  1822,  who  survived  him  and  died  August  20,  1883. 
His  surviving  children,  of  whom  there  were  nine,  were  Theo 
dore  Faxton,  John  Jay,  Daniel  Adams,  the  youngest,  and  Mrs. 
James  B.  Van  Vorst,  Mrs.  Alexander  Holland  and  Mrs.  Wil 
liam  M.  Storrs.  Of  these  only  John  and  Mrs.  Storrs  are  living. 

John  Butterfield  had  no  inclination  for  office,  and  little  time 
to  devote  to  it.  He  once  accepted  the  office  of  Mayor  of  Utica, 
to  which  he  was  elected  by  the  Republicans  in  1865,  and  was 
in  the  same  year  the  unsuccessful  candidate  of  the  Democrats 
for  State  Senator.  He  owed  nothing  to  scholastic  education, 
nor  is  it  likely  that  the  training  of  the  schools  would  have  added 
much,  if  anything,  to  his  executive  ability  and  native  genius 
for  practical  affairs. 

Daniel,  third  son  of  John  Butterfield,  who  inherited  from  him 
certain  traits  of  character  that  gave  promise  of  success  in  life, 
was  born  in  Utica  October  31,  1831.  His  father,  who  had  been 
deprived  of  the  advantages  of  an  education  in  early  life,  be 
stowed  them  freely  on  the  subject  of  this  memorial  volume. 
After  being  duly  prepared  at  private  schools  and  the  Utica 
Academy,  Daniel  entered  Union  College.  There  he  made  a  fair 
record  as  a  student,  and  was  a  leader  among  his  classmates  in 
boyish  games  and  frolics.  During  his  career  at  Schenectady, 
the  college  being  then  presided  over  by  President  Nott,  young 


8       GENEKAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 

Butterfield  became  a  member  of  the  Sigma  Phi,  next  to  the  old 
est  of  the  college  Greek  letter  fraternities.  It  has  always  been 
one  of  the  most  exclusive  organizations  of  its  character  in  this 
country,  and,  although  founded  at  Union  in  1825,  has  since  that 
time  gone  into  but  seven  other  colleges,  and  in  its  existence  of 
seventy-nine  years  has  given  the  privilege  of  membership  to  but 
a  few  more  than  two  thousand  students.  Butterfield  was  grad 
uated  from  Union  in  1849  at  tne  unusually  early  age  of 
eighteen,  and  at  once  took  up  the  study  of  law.  President  Ray 
mond,  under  date  of  December  18,  1903,  writes : 

"I  am  in  receipt  of  your  letter  of  inquiry  concerning  General 
Butterfield,  and  I  am  glad  to  give  you  such  information  as  I 
have.  He  entered  Union  College  from  Utica,  his  home,  and  was 
graduated  in  1849  with  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  arts.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Sigma  Phi  fraternity,  and  was  always  more  or 
less  identified  with  the  interests  of  Union  University.  In  1892 
he  was  honorary  chancellor  of  the  university,  and  delivered  the 
annual  address  at  our  commencement  in  June  of  that  year, 
when  he  received  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  The 
lecture  course  which  General  Butterfield  instituted  and  which 
bore  his  name  was  not  endowed,  and  was  intended  by  him  to 
include  some  thirty  lectures  covering  a  period  of  several  years. 
His  plan  was  carried  out,  and  the  lecture  course  attracted  wide 
spread  attention  because  of  the  national  reputation  of  most  of 
the  speakers.  In  1895  General  Butterfield  was  elected  President 
of  the  General  Alumni  Association,  and  in  1899  was  elected  one 
of  the  four  alumni  trustees  of  the  college." 

From  Washington,  under  date  of  January  5,  1904,  Ellis  H. 
Roberts,  Treasurer  of  the  United  States,  writes : 

"Your  letter  of  December  26  last  is  before  me.  As  you  as 
sume,  General  Butterfield's  early  days  and  my  own  in  Utica  ran 
nearly  parallel.  His  father  had  won  distinction  by  his  remark 
able  foresight,  his  far-reaching  enterprise,  and  his  tremendous 
energy  in  connection  with  the  American  Express,  the  New 
York,  Albany  and  Buffalo  Telegraph  Company  (the  basis  of 
the  Western  Union  Telegraph),  and  the  Overland  Express.  In 
some  respects  he  was  the  most  notable  citizen  of  Utica.  The 


GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD       9 

son  Daniel  inherited  some  of  the  father's  enterprise  and  energy. 
He  was  active  in  sports  and  all  youthful  undertakings,  with  a 
certain  dash  and  audacity  which  were  a  presage  of  his  future 
career.  We  did  not  attend  the  same  schools  in  Utica,  and  he 
was  graduated  in  1849  at  Union  College,  to  which  he  was  dur 
ing  his  whole  life  much  devoted,  while  my  own  graduation  fol 
lowed  in  1850  at  Yale.  Thus  our  educational  paths  were  apart. 
Yet  his  zeal  and  ambitions,  as  beyond  those  of  his  associates, 
were  not  unknown  to  me.  Not  long  after  he  left  college  he 
chose  New  York  as  a  broader  field  than  Utica  for  his  plans  and 
purposes,  while  he  retained  his  affection  and  interest  for  his 
native  city.  The  companions  of  his  youth  rejoiced  in  his  bril 
liant  military  career,  the  most  notable  of  any  native  of  Utica  in 
the  Civil  War." 

After  completing  his  preliminary  work  in  the  field  of  law, 
however,  Butterfield  found  himself  still  too  young  to  be  ad 
mitted  to  the  bar,  and  so  he  set  out  on  an  extensive 
tour,  for  those  far  distant  days.  The  young  collegian 
crossed  Lakes  Erie,  Ontario  and  Superior,  and  from  Du- 
luth  to  St.  Paul,  the  newly  selected  capital  of  the  Terri 
tory  of  Minnesota,  his  only  companion  in  almost  pathless 
forests,  through  which  they  were  compelled  to  carry  their 
canoe,  being  an  Indian  guide.  This  was  an  experience 
which  tried  the  courage  and  endurance  of  the  youth  of  nineteen. 
At  St.  Paul  he  parted  with  his  half-breed  guide,  and  took  pas 
sage  on  a  Mississippi  River  steamer  for  New  Orleans,  then  the 
financial  and  business  center  of  the  slave-holding  States,  as  well 
as  their  most  populous  city.  There  young  Butterfield  had  an  op 
portunity  of  studying  the  influence  of  slavery  upon  the  charac 
ter  and  habits  of  the  people,  also  its  influence  politically  in  the 
central  mart  of  the  Southern  States.  It  was  then  and  there,  as 
he  afterward  declared,  that  the  irrepressible  conflict  between 
slavery  and  freedom  was  made  manifest  to  him,  and  believing  it 
to  be  already  impending  and  the  conflict  inevitable,  he  returned 
to  the  North  determined  to  give  his  attention  to  military  mat 
ters,  so  that  when  the  emergency  arose  he  could  respond  to  the 
call  of  his  country.  Soon  after  reaching  Utica  he  was  intrusted 


10 

with  the  important  task  of  preparing  a  time  table  and  schedule 
for  the  Overland  Stage  line  running  between  Memphis  and  St. 
Louis  to  San  Francisco,  the  successful  accomplishment  of 
which  was  regarded  as  an  achievement  for  an  inexperienced 
youth,  exhibiting  unusual  executive  ability.  Later  he  removed 
to  New  York,  and  for  several  years  he  was  the  general  super 
intendent  of  the  eastern  division  of  the  American  Express  Com 
pany.  From  the  following  dedication  of  a  college  address  it  ap 
pears  that  Butterfield  and  ex-Governor  Cornell  were  as  youths 
associated  in  the  service  of  the  Telegraph  Company :  "Dedi 
cated  to  my  friend,  General  Daniel  Butterfield,  with  whom  it 
was  my  privilege  to  be  on  terms  of  more  than  ordinary  intimacy 
and  cordiality  since  1847,  when  we  were  associated  in  the 
service  of  the  New  York,  Albany  and  Buffalo  Telegraph  Com 
pany,  which  had  recently  been  projected  and  constructed  largely 
through  the  efforts  of  our  respective  fathers,  John  Butterfield 
and  Ezra  Cornell." 

A  few  years  before  his  death  the  General  prepared,  at  the 
request  of  a  friend,  the  following  brief  memoranda  concerning 
his  early  military  experiences  : 

"I  first  entered  the  military  service  as  a  private  soldier  in  the 
Utica  Citizens'  Corps  when  nineteen  years  old.  About  that  time 
I  left  Utica  permanently  as  a  place  of  residence,  and  moved  to 
New  York.  I  entered  the  Seventy-first  Regiment  as  a  captain 
on  staff  duty,  and  through  my  ability  and  devotion  to  the 
service  was  chosen  by  a  vote  of  the  officers  as  Major  of  the  regi 
ment,  and  subsequently  promoted  to  Lieutenant-Colonel.  From 
that  regiment  I  was  elected  without  any  solicitation  on  my  part 
as  Colonel  of  the  Twelfth  Militia.  I  had  long  been  impressed 
from  what  I  had  seen  while  traveling  in  the  South  that  war  was 
inevitable  on  the  slavery  issue,  and  sure  to  come  between  the 
North  and  South.  I  fitted  myself  in  every  way  possible,  so  that 
I  had  nothing  to  learn  concerning  tactics  or  discharge  of  duties 
in  the  positions  I  held.  I  offered  the  services  of  my  regiment  to 
Governor  Morgan,  but  such  services  were  not  accepted  by  him, 
evidently  for  two  reasons.  First,  that  the  officers  of  my  regi 
ment  differed  in  politics  from  the  Governor's  party.  Second, 


GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD      11 

that  we  had  so  few  men.  I  proceeded  to  Washington,  and 
through  the  aid  of  my  friend  and  classmate,  Frederick  W. 
Seward,  and  the  aid  of  his  father,  Secretary  Seward,  orders 
were  sent  to  New  York  to  Governor  Morgan  to  send  on  my 
regiment.  We  enlisted  800  men  in  one  day  and  received  the 
last  arms  issued  from  Governor's  Island  from  General  Joseph 
E.  Johnston,  who  subsequently  became  a  distinguished  Confed 
erate  commander.  Though  ready  to  go  on  the  I9th,  through  the 
influence  of  the  colonels  of  other  regiments,  who  wanted  our 
departure  delayed,  we  did  not  get  away  until  the  2ist  of  April. 
"We  were  selected  by  General  Scott  as  a  guard  of  honor,  en 
camped  nearest  the  White  House  and  the  Treasury  Building, 
corner  of  Fourteenth  and  K  streets,  where  we  built  our  own 
cantonment,  as  the  Government  had  no  tents  to  give  us.*  When 
the  march  was  made  into  Virginia  I  \vas  honored  with  orders  to 
lead  the  advance,  which  we  did.  We  were  subsequently  recalled 
and  sent  to  Martinsburg  to  join  the  column  of  General  Robert 
Patterson,  and  so  we  escaped  being  participators  in  the  first  bat 
tle  of  Bull  Run.  In  that  campaign  we  overstayed  our  term  of 
service  and  received  complimentary  orders  and  thanks  from 
General  N.  P.  Banks,  who  relieved  General  Patterson.  The 
Governor  offered  me  a  commission  as  Brigadier  General  if  I 
would  remain  at  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  the  service  of  my 
regiment  and  allow  my  regiment  to  return  without  me.  This,  in 
honor,  I  could  not  do,  as  I  had  promised  my  men  that  if  they 
would  remain  over  their  time  I  would  remain  with  them.  I  had 
in  the  meantime  been  appointed  Lieutenant-Colonel  in  the  regu 
lar  army. 

•General  Butterfield  omits  to  mention  that  on  his  arrival  at  the  Na 
tional  Capital,  then  deemed  to  be  in  great  danger,  he  became  a  member 
of  the  "Washington  Clay  Guards,"  a  battalion  of  three  hundred  men,  or 
ganized  by  General  Cassius  M.  Clay  to  defend  the  city  against  expected 
attack,  threatened  by  hordes  of  traitors.  Butterfield,  who  was  appointed 
First  Sergeant,  daily  drilled  the  command,  consisting  of  prominent  citi 
zens  and  including  Senators,  Judges  and  military  men  of  all  ranks,  from 
generals  down  to  privates.  "Colonel  Butterfield  was  an  excellent  drill 
sergeant,"  said  an  old  Washingtonian  recently,  who  belonged  to  the  bat 
talion,  and  has  since  passed  away.  It  was  formed  April  18  and  disbanded 
May  2.  As  many  regiments  had  arrived  from  the  North  the  War  Depart 
ment  no  longer  deemed  the  organization  necessary  for  the  defense  of  the 
National  Capital.  Each  officer  and  private  received  an  honorable  dis 
charge,  signed  by  Simon  Cameron,  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  also  by 
President  Abraham  Lincoln.  Butterfield  was  under  the  impression  that 
General  Clay  and  himself  were  the  last  survivors  of  the  "Clay  Guards." 


12  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

"On  September  30,  1861,  I  was  appointed  Brigadier-General 
of  Volunteers,  and  ordered  to  report  immediately  at  the  front, 
which  I  did,  giving  up  my  duties  in  the  American  Express 
Company,  in  which  business  I  had  been  trained.  The  regiments 
which  are  popularly  known  as  Butterfield's  famous  Third  Bri 
gade  of  the  First  Division  of  the  Fifth  Corps  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  were  organized  by  me.  They  were :  The  Eighty- 
third  Pennsylvania,  Sixteenth  Michigan,  Forty-fourth  New 
York,  Seventeenth  New  York,  Fiftieth  New  York,  and  Twen 
tieth  Maine  regiments. 

"I  was  designated  by  Governor  Fenton  of  New  York  at  the 
close  of  the  war  to  present  to  the  State  of  New  York  the  re 
turned  flags,  which  I  did  at  Albany  to  the  Governor  in  front  of 
the  Capitol  in  the  presence  of  General  Grant  and  others.  This 
compliment  was  paid  me  at  the  time  without  any  knowledge  or 
solicitation  on  my  part  as  a  recognition  of  my  being  the  repre 
sentative  successful  officer  from  New  York  State  in  the  war. 

"In  the  battle  of  Hanover  Court  House  I  captured  the  two 
guns  from  the  Confederates,  the  first  guns  taken  in  McClellan's 
campaign.  In  the  battle  of  Resaca,  Ga.,  I  captured  the  first  four 
guns  in  Sherman's  Atlanta  campaign.  I  was  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Games'  Mill  and  at  Gettysburg.  I  was  designated  by 
General  George  H.  Thomas  to  fix  the  numbers  and  position  of 
the  forces  to  guard  the  lines  of  the  campaign  of  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland  between  Nashville  and  Chattanooga.  General 
Hooker  personally  stated  to  me  that  he  considered  it  a  very 
great  compliment  to  have  been  selected  for  such  an  important 
duty,  and  having  performed  it  so  satisfactorily  to  General 
Thomas  that  he  ordered  my  recommendations  carried  out  ex 
actly  as  made. 

"From  being  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  regular  army  I  was 
promoted  to  the  Colonelcy  of  the  Fifth  Infantry  by  the  death  of 
General  Reynolds  at  Gettysburg.  I  was  breveted  Brigadier  and 
Major  General  for  gallant  and  meritorious  services  in  the  field 
during  the  war,  and  so  remained  until  I  resigned  from  the 
army,  which  resignation  was  made  necessary  by  my  father's 
business  and  property  devolving  upon  me  in  1869." 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  13 

In  an  address  delivered  before  the  Old  Guard  Association  of 
the  Twelfth  Regiment  in  April,  1894,  Butterfield  gave  the  fol 
lowing  interesting  account  of  the  early  days  of  the  Civil  War : 

"Thirty-three  years  ago  to-day,  on  the  west  side  of  Union 
Square,  many  of  you  who  are  here  present  (and  it  is  a  remark 
able  fact  that  so  many  of  us  are  spared  to  live  and  think  of  that 
day)  with  many  a  brave  fellow  who  has  crossed  the  river  never 
to  return,  shouldered  arms  at  your  country's  call  and  marched 
to  the  front  to  defend  and  uphold  that  flag.  The  services  of 
your  Regiment  were  offered  to  the  Government  by  its  Colonel 
before  the  call  for  troops  had  been  made,  but  were  not  accepted, 
because  the  Regiment  was  so  small  in  numbers.  An  offer  of  the 
services  of  the  Regiment  to  the  general  Government  was  met 
by  the  response  that  we  were  not  strong  enough  in  numbers, 
but  was  answered  by  me  with  the  statement  that  we  would 
bring  one  thousand  men  to  the  front  within  twenty-four  hours' 
notice.  The  Regiment  was  accepted  and  telegraph  notice  was 
sent  by  myself  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ward,  with  whom  a  pre 
vious  understanding  had  been  made  that  the  companies  would 
open  recruiting  offices.  The  announcement  was  made,  and  in 
twelve  hours  from  the  time  that  the  officers  and  men  of  the 
Regiment  began  work  a  full  regiment  was  raised  and  ready  to 
start.  Many  of  the  gallant  veterans  of  the  Twelfth  who  started 
on  that  day  thirty-three  years  ago  had  never  shouldered  a  mus 
ket.  The  active  and  energetic  work  of  your  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
in  a  short  time,  with  the  means  of  patriotic  citizens,  and  with 
the  funds  in  hands  of  the  Regiment,  equipped  the  entire  body  of 
one  thousand  men  with  the  blue  chasseur  uniform  which  you 
wore  during  your  first  period  of  nearly  four  months  of  service 
in  the  field.  You  all  remember  those  days  of  work,  of  energy 
and  of  devotion  to  the  duty  which  had  called  you  out.  In  less 
than  twenty  days  from  the  time  you  assembled  and  marched 
off  from  Union  Square  your  Regiment  had  no  superior  in  its 
drill,  discipline  and  efficiency.  The  orders  of  the  day  for  work, 
which  some  of  you  will  remember,  tested  your  most  vigorous 
efforts  to  fit  yourselves  for  the  duties  assumed.  Your  Regiment 
was  the  first  regiment  to  muster  into  the  service  of  the  United 


14  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

States  from  the  City  of  New  York  for  a  period  beyond  thirty 
days.  To  your  Regiment  was  accorded  the  post  of  honor  in 
leading  the  advance  to  Virginia  on  the  night  of  the  24th  of 
May,  1861.  To  your  Regiment  was  accorded  the  honor  of 
guarding  the  flanks  in  the  march  of  Patterson's  column  in  the 
presence  of  the  enemy.  And  there  is  a  man  sitting  at  the  head 
of  that  table  who  knows  something  about  this — Colonel  Ryder 
—who  was  the  man  ordered  to  take  the  advance  and  sent  with 
his  company  in  advance  as  skirmishers.  I  was  asked  a  question 
by  Colonel  Dowd  of  the  active  Regiment,  while  sitting  here  at 
dinner,  with  regard  to  the  circumstances  connected  with  that 
order.  I  don't  think  all  the  veterans  have  ever  understood  it. 
The  order  came  from  General  Heintzelman  (he  was  then 
colonel)  to  report  at  the  head  of  the  Long  Bridge  at  one  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  to  do  it  quietly,  secretly,  without  noise  or  con 
fusion.  We  moved  out,  as  you  will  remember,  by  the  whistle. 
We  arrived  at  the  head  of  the  Long  Bridge,  and  fifteen  or  twenty 
regiments  were  about  there.  In  that  old  brick  house  were  the 
colonels  of  all  the  regiments  that  had  been  ordered  out,  and 
there  also  was  Colonel  Heintzelman.  He  told  the  position  that 
each  regiment  was  to  take  after  we  had  crossed  the  river,  also 
the  line  of  march ;  and  after  he  had  explained  it  clearly  we  all 
sat  as  quietly  as  you  are  here.  Presently,  tramp,  tramp,  tramp, 
clank  of  sabre  was  heard  on  the  stairs,  and  General  Mansfield, 
who  was  assigned  to  the  command,  entered  the  room.  'Colonel 
Heintzelman,  are  you  ready?  Why  don't  you  move,  sir?'  he 
said.  'It  has  not  been  stated  who  shall  lead,'  replied  Colonel 
Heintzelman.  'Why,'  said  the  General,  'Colonel  Butterfield's 
Twelfth  Regiment,  of  course.'  Well,  I  would  have  marched  you 
all  into  the  river  after  that." 

Daniel  Butterfield  became  Colonel  of  the  Twelfth  Regiment 
in  December,  1859,  a  few  days  later  issuing  the  following  or- 

HEADQUARTERS,   INDEPENDENCE  GUARD, 
220  REG.,  N.  Y.  S.  M.,  NEW  YORK,  Dec.  7,  1859. 

General  Orders,  No.  i. 

The  Officers  and  non-commissioned  Officers  of  this  Regiment 
are  hereby  ordered  to  assemble  for  drill  at  the  Mercer  House, 


GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  15 

on  Wednesday,  Dec.  i/j-th,  at  /  145  p.  m.   Fatigue  Dress — Over 
coat. 

The  Regiment  will  assemble  for  Drill  at  the  Division  Armory, 
White  Street,  on  Monday,  Dec.  iQth,  at  7:45  p.  m. 

Fatigue  Dress — Overcoat  and  Body  Belt — without  Arms. 
The  Drills  will  not  be  public. 

At  the  first  regular  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Officers,  the  BILL 
OF  DRESS  and  BY-LAWS  of  the  former  organization,  Independ 
ence  Guard,  were  unanimously  adopted  until  otherwise  ordered 
by  the  Board. 

The  Officers  and  non-commissioned  Officers  are  expected  to 
be  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  first  thirty  pages,  Vol.  I., 
Scott's  Tactics,  and  ready  to  answer  any  questions  in  regard  to 
same  previous  to  the  drill  above  ordered. 

Col.  BUTTERFIELD  will  attend  at  the  Division  Board  Room, 
White  Street,  on  Monday,  Dec.  I2th,  from  3:30  to  5  p.  m.  for 
the  purpose  of  issuing  warrants  to,  and  examination  of,  the 
non-commissioned  Officers. 

Commandants  of  Companies  are  requested  to  make  returns 
of  the  elections  for  Sergeants  on  or  before  that  time,  and  to  fur 
nish  the  Adjutant  with  a  complete  roster  of  their  companies, 
giving  residence  and  place  of  business  of  every  member. 

The  attention  of  Officers  is  called  to  the  following  paragraphs 
in  the  book  of  "General  Regulations,"  viz. :  43 — 454  to  498,  525- 
526.— 

STAFF  APPOINTMENTS  : 
HENRY  A.  BOSTWICK,  Adjutant. 
HENRY  SLACK,  Surgeon. 
ALBERT  H.  NICOLAY,  Quarter  Master. 
RICHARD  S.  PALMER,  Pay  Master. 
FRANCIS  H.  SALTUS,  Ordnance  Officer. 
THEO.  TIMPSON,  Ass't  Eng.  (Acting  Engineer). 

By  Order  of 

COL.  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 

HENRY  A.  BOSTWICK,  Adjutant. 

The  above  was  followed  twelve  days  later  by  the  accompany 
ing  special  order  No.  I,  announcing  that  the  regiment  was 


16  GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 

thereafter  to  be  known  and  designated  as  the  Twelfth,  its  pre 
vious  number  having  been  the  Twenty-second. 

GENERAL  HEADQUARTERS,  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK, 
ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE,, 

ALBANY,  Dec.  iQth,  1859. 
Special  Orders,  No.  204. 

1.  The  designation  of  the  22d  Regiment  and  District,  2d  Bri 
gade,  ist  Division,  is  hereby  changed.   Such  Regiment  and  Dis 
trict  will  be  hereafter  designated  by  the  numeral  12. 

2.  The  1 2th  Regiment  will  serve  exclusively  as  Light  Infan 
try,  pursuant  to  "Hardee's  Tactics." 

By  order  of  the  Commander-in-Chief, 

FRED'K  TOWNSEND,  Adjutant-General. 

HEADQUARTERS,  20  BRIGADE,  N.  Y.  S.  M., 

NEW  YORK,  Dec.  24,  1859. 
Special  Orders,  No.  20. 

The  foregoing  Special  Order,  No.  204,  from  General  Head 
quarters,  is  hereby  promulgated.  By  order  of 

BRIG.-GEN.  CHAS.  YATES. 

HEADQUARTERS  I2TH  REGIMENT,  N.  Y.  S.  M., 

NEW  YORK,  Dec.  24,  1859. 
Special  Order,  No.  i. 

The  foregoing  Special  Orders  from  General  and  Brigade 
Headquarters  are  hereby  promulgated.  For  all  new  uniforms  in 
this  command,  the  State  Regulation  Button  will  be  used  here 
after.  By  order  of 

COL.  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 
HENRY  A.  BOSTWICK,  Adjutant. 

EDWARD  M.  FISHER,  Sergeant  Major. 

The  following  was  on  inner  page  of  above  orders  : 

PRIVATE. 

In  the  communication  addressed  by  the  undersigned,  to  his 
Excellency  the  Commander-in-Chief,  through  the  Adjutant- 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  17 

General,  after  making  the  request  to  have  the  number  of  the 
Regiment  changed,  the  following  language  was  used :  "I  deem 
it  proper  to  state  to  his  Excellency  that  I  believe  such  a  change 
in  the  numerical  designation  of  the  Regiment  would  be  followed 
by  increased  zeal  for  the  service  on  behalf  of  the  present  mem 
bers  of  the  Command,  and  a  large  number  of  recruits  to  the 
different  companies." 

It  is  deemed  unnecessary  to  say  anything  more  to  the  Com 
mand  on  this  occasion,  than  that  the  Commandant  desires  to 
see  every  member  carry  out  earnestly  and  efficiently  the  exer 
tions  that  their  own  feelings  of  pride  and  desires  for  the  success 
of  the  "Twelfth"  will  prompt,  thereby  fully  justifying  the  above 
remarks.  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 

Colonel  Commanding  I2th  Reg't,  Independence  Guard. 

To  his  Virginia  friend,  Col.  Peter  G.  Washington,  Butter- 
field  wrote,  April  n,  1861  :  "Absence  from  the  city  has  pre 
vented  an  earlier  acknowledgment  of  your  courtesy.  I  have 
received  the  report  and  your  letter  accompanying  it,  for  both 
of  which  I  am  greatly  indebted  to  you. 

With  regard  to  the  remark  in  your  letter,  I  should  most  sin 
cerely  regret  that  any  combination  of  circumstances  should 
place  me  in  a  position  to  be  called  upon  to  use  any  portion  of 
the  knowledge  or  skill  I  may  possess  in  a  military  way  against 
our  erring  brethren  of  the  South.  But,  I  have  sworn  to  obey 
the  Constitution  and  the  Laws,  and  no  alternative  is  left  to  me, 
as  an  officer  and  a  gentleman,  but  to  do  so.  I  shall  do  so,  come 
what  will,  and  I  can  only  say  to  you  that  if  those  erring  breth 
ren  should  cross  the  line  of  their  own  territory,  where  they  are 
welcome  to  stay,  and  do  as  they  please,  so  far  as  we  are  con 
cerned,  that  moment  the  fields  of  the  border  States  will  be 
whitened  with  the  tents  of  a  Northern  army  more  numerous, 
more  patriotic  and  more  determined  for  the  defence  of  the 
Union,  the  Constitution  and  the  Law,  than  the  world  ever 
saw.  I  know  the  feelings  of  the  people,  and  speak  advisedly. 
God  grant  that  the  day  may  never  come."  .  .  . 

When  the  Civil  War  began  by  the  bombardment  of  Fort 


18  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Sumter,  quickly  followed  by  President  Lincoln's  call  for  seven 
ty-five  thousand  militia,  New  York's  quota  was  thirteen  thou 
sand,  but  in  a  few  days  nearly  three  times  that  number  re 
sponded  to  the  nation's  appeal.  First  among  these  was  the 
Twelfth  Regiment,  and  on  April  I9th  Colonel  Butterfield  issued 
the  following  order : 

HEADQUARTERS  INDEPENDENCE  GUARD, 
TWELFTH  REGIMENT,  N.  Y.  S.  M., 

NEW  YORK,  April  igth,  1861. 
General  Orders,  ATo.   12. 

In  compliance  with  orders  from  his  Excellency  the  Governor 
and  Division  Order  of  this  date,  this  Regiment  is  ordered  to  as 
semble,  in  full  fatigue,  with  overcoats  and  knapsacks,  on  Sun 
day  morning,  April  21,  to  embark  for  Washington. 

Regimental  Line  will  be  formed  on  Union  Square,  right  on 
I4th  street,  at  9  o'clock,  a.  m. 

The  Field  and  Staff  will  report  at  the  same  time  and  place, 
with  overcoats  slung. 

The  Drum  Major,  with  the  Drum  Corps,  and  the  Band  Mas 
ter  and  Band  will  report  at  the  same  time  and  place. 

RESIGNATIONS. 

ALEX.  T.  BELL     -     -     -     Ass't  Surgeon. 

APPOINTMENTS. 

ROBERT  F.  WEIR    -     -     -    Ass't  Surgeon. 
CLINTON  BERRY    -          -     Commissary  Sergeant. 

The  men  will  provide  themselves  with  suitable  underclothing, 
and  one  day's  rations.  No  extra  baggage  will  be  allowed. 

Each  Officer  will  be  allowed  one  small  trunk,  which  must  be 
marked  and  left  at  Regimental  Headquarters,  594  Broadway, 
on  Saturday,  the  2Oth  inst. 

By  order  of  COL.  DAN'L  BUTTERFIELD. 

FRED'K  T.  LOCKE,  Adjutant. 

Amid  great  enthusiasm  and  through  densely  crowded  streets 
the  Twelfth  marched  down  Broadway,  Mercer  and  Canal 
streets  to  the  North  River  pier  and  aboard  the  steamer  Baltic, 
which  started  at  about  five  o'clock  Sunday  afternoon  for  For- 


u 

d 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  10 

tress  Monroe.  Arriving  at  the  Fortress  on  the  evening  of  the 
22d,  Colonel  Butterfield  tendered  aid  to  the  garrison.  None  be 
ing  required,  and  orders  having  been  received,  sailed  for  An 
napolis,  and  from  there  proceeded  to  Washington.  On  reaching 
Annapolis  Junction  on  the  march,  a  locomotive  was  found,  dis 
abled  and  the  parts  hidden.  Volunteers  from  the  mechanics  in 
the  Regiment  were  called  for,  by  orders  from  the  Colonel,  and 
detailed  to  find  the  missing  parts  and  put  them  together.  A 
thorough  search  disclosed  the  missing  parts,  and  the  locomotive 
was  adjusted  and  placed  on  the  track,  Lieut.-Colonel  Ward  and 
a  soldier  from  the  ranks  running  the  locomotive  to  Annapolis, 
and  returning  with  a  train  of  provisions.  Ten  days  later  Colonel 
Butterfield  proposed  to  the  War  Department  to  build  suitable 
barracks  within  forty-eight  hours  if  the  necessary  material  was 
supplied.  His  proposition  was  accepted,  and  the  work  was  com 
pleted  within  the  specified  time.  The  Regiment  was  sworn  into 
the  United  States  service  May  2,  for  a  term  of  three  months 
from  April  16,  on  the  grounds  fronting  the  Capitol  at  Wash 
ington,  by  Major  Irwin  McDowell,  afterward  an  army  com 
mander.  Nine  days  later  Colonel  Butterfield  issued  the  accom 
panying  order : 

HEADQUARTERS  I2TH  REGIMENT,  N.  Y.  S.  T., 

CAMP  ANDERSON, 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  May  n,  1861. 
General  Order,  No.  37. 

General  Order  No.  34  is  hereby  countermanded,  and  the  fol 
lowing 

HOURS   FOR   SERVICE 

have  been  established  in  place  of  those  mentioned  in  said  order*. 

Reveille 5  a.  m. 

Men  will  rise,  wash,  and  dress,  and  answer  to  roll-call 
before  the  last  roll  of  the  drum.  Police  immediately 
after  roll  call — when  the  Huts  must  be  thoroughly 
cleaned  up  and  put  in  order. 

Company  Drill   5  130  to  6  :3O  a.  m. 

Surgeon's  Call   6 :3O 

Peas  on  Trencher 7 


20  GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Reports 7  :3o  a.m. 

Guard  Mounting 8  " 

Officers'  Drill   8  to  9 

Target  Practice  :  Company  Drill : 

G  Co   8 :3<D 10 130  to  1 1  130 

I  Co 8 :3O 10 130  to  11:30 

Sap.  &  Min 8 130 10 :3<D  to  11:30 

B  Co   9:10 ii         to  12 

C  Co   9 :2O ii         to  12 

E  Co  9 130 1 1  :2O  to  12  :2O 

H  Co 9 :5o 1 1 :2O  to  12 :2O 

A  Co 10:30 12        to  12 :5o 

F  Co   10:50 9          to  10 

D  Co ii        9          to  10 

Roast  Beef i  p.  m. 

Police  Call 2 

Squad  Drill 2         to  3 

Non-commissioned  Officers'  Drill. 4:30  to  5:30     " 

Dress  Parade 6 

Supper    7 

Tattoo 9 :3O 

Taps    10 

By  order  of       COL.  BUTTERFIELD. 
FRED  T.  LOCKE,  Adjutant. 

The  non-commissioned  officers  in  charge  of  the  Company 
quarters  will  see  that  all  copies  of  General  Order  No.  34  are  de 
stroyed. 

As  has  been  already  mentioned  Colonel  Butterfield's  Regiment 
was  the  first  to  cross  the  Long  Bridge  at  the  head  of  the  Union 
column,  May  24,  1861,  and  also  the  first  to  receive  a  challenge 
and  attack,  after  reaching  the  Virginia  side  of  the  Potomac, 
having  met  the  Confederate  pickets  as  soon  as  the  command  left 
the  bridge.  For  the  following  account  of  the  service  of  Colonel 
Butterfield's  command  during  the  summer  campaign  of  1861, 
we  are  indebted  to  Colonel  John  Ward,  who  succeeded  to  the 
colonelcy  of  the  Twelfth  Regiment  in  1867,  continuing  as  such 
for  ten  years : 

"On  the  I3th  of  April,  1861,  Fort  Sumter  surrendered,  and 


GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD      21 

on  the  1 5th  President  Lincoln  called  the  militia  of  the  country 
to  arms.  Colonel  Butterfield  promptly  tendered  the  services  of 
the  Twelfth  for  the  defence  of  the  National  Capital,  then  in 
great  danger,  and  the  offer  was  at  once  accepted.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Wm.  G.  Ward  made  great  exertions  to  procure  uni 
forms  suitable  for  service  in  the  field.  He  proposed  for  this 
purpose  the  Chasseur  uniform,  which  was  the  first  move  in  this 
direction  made  during  the  late  war.  A  sum  of  ten  thousand  dol 
lars  was  raised  by  the  numerous  friends  of  the  Twelfth  in  the 
City  of  New  York  to  equip  the  Regiment  forthwith.  But  the 
exigency  did  not  admit  even  of  this  delay.  It  was  determined 
to  march  at  once ;  and  so  great  was  the  popularity  of  the  Regi 
ment,  and  the  patriotic  ardor  of  the  people,  that  the  ranks  of 
the  Twelfth  were  swelled  in  a  few  days  to  nearly  a  thousand 
men;  and  without  waiting  for  the  uniforms,  on  a  memorable 
Sunday  (April  21,  1861),  the  Regiment  assembled  in  Union 
Square,  previous  to  embarking  for  the  National  Capital.  The 
command  comprised  nine  companies,  eight  of  which  were  infan 
try,  one  company  ("I")  doing  duty  as  a  battery,  with  two 
prairie  howitzers. 

"The  regular  members  and  some  of  the  volunteers  wore  the 
regimental  uniform,  but  most  of  the  recruits  were  in  citizen's 
dress,  with  belts  and  equipments.  A  supply  of  muskets  had  been 
obtained,  and,  guerrilla-like  as  the  recruits  looked,  they  formed 
a  fine  body  of  men,  and  the  spectators  by  their  enthusiasm 
showed  what  was  expected  of  them.  The  whole  population 
turned  out  to  honor  the  departing  militia,  and  the  churches  re 
mained  virtually  closed  that  Sunday.  It  was  with  great  diffi 
culty  that  the  Regiment  could  make  its  way  through  the  crowd 
to  the  wharf,  and  it  was  obliged  to  leave  Broadway  and  turn 
into  Mercer  street,  so  great  was  the  throng. 

"The  command  embarked  in  the  Steamship  Baltic  for  Fort 
ress  Monroe,  arriving  at  sunset  on  Monday,  intending  to  pro 
ceed  up  the  Potomac.  The  smoke  from  the  conflagration  of  the 
Norfolk  Navy  Yard  was  plainly  seen  from  the  steamer.  Orders 
having  been  received,  the  Twelfth  proceeded  to  Annapolis,  ar 
riving  early  on  Tuesday  morning.  The  following  day  they  were 


22  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

transferred  to  the  Steamship  Coatzacoalcos,  remaining  there 
until  Friday  the  26th,  at  n  a.  m.,  when  they  disembarked. 

"On  the  afternoon  of  the  26th  of  April  the  Twelfth  started  for 
Annapolis  Junction,  marching  six  miles,  and  bivouacking  dur 
ing  the  night  in  an  open  field  near  the  railroad.  At  5  a.  m.  on 
the  27th  the  Regiment  resumed  its  march,  and  arrived  at  the 
Junction  about  noon,  accomplishing  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles 
in  seven  hours.  The  day  was  excessively  hot,  and  the  march  to 
the  Junction  will  long  be  remembered  by  the  Twelfth  as  very 
trying,  especially  for  troops  unused  to  service.  At  2  o'clock 
p.  m.  a  detachment  under  command  of  First  Lieutenant  Lough- 
ran,  of  "D"  Company,  was  sent  forward  to  guard  the  bridges 
between  the  Junction  and  Washington.  The  Regiment  followed 
Immediately  in  the  steps  of  the  Seventy-first  New  York,  reliev 
ing  it  from  the  duty  of  guarding  the  Junction,  and  on  Sunday 
afternoon,  April  28th,  being  relieved  by  the  Sixty-ninth  New 
York,  it  took  the  cars  for  Washington  at  6  p.  m.,  the  train  stop 
ping  at  the  several  bridges  along  the  road  to  take  on  board  the 
detachments  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Loughran.  The  Twelfth 
reached  Washington  at  9  p.  m.,  and  was  temporarily  quartered 
in  the  Assembly  Rooms  on  Louisiana  Avenue,  and  in  a  church 
on  Sixth  Street,  until  a  camp  of  wooden  huts  on  Franklin 
Square  had  been  completed  by  its  members. 

"The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service 
for  three  months,  on  Thursday,  May  2,  by  Major  Irwin  Mc 
Dowell,  U.  S.  A.,  and  moved  to  Camp  Anderson,  Franklin 
Square,  on  Tuesday,  May  8;  there  it  soon  received  the  Chas 
seur  uniform,  which  very  greatly  added  to  the  soldierly  appear 
ance  of  the  men. 

"Camp  Anderson  attracted  a  great  deal  of  attention  during 
the  stay  of  the  Regiment  in  Washington.  It  was  situated  on 
Franklin  Square,  and  bounded  by  Thirteenth,  Fourteenth,  I 
and  K  streets.  It  was  laid  out  in  a  very  regular  manner,  and 
consisted  of  ten  company  streets,  running  down  from  a  wide 
one,  on  which  the  officers'  huts  were  erected.  Six  huts  were 
built  for  each  company,  three  on  each  side  of  its  respective 
street,  each  hut  being  occupied  by  sixteen  men.  The  Colonel's 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  23 

headquarters  occupied  the  center  of  the  officers'  street,  and 
faced  a  lane  leading  to  the  drill  ground.  The  field  and  staff  offi 
cers'  huts  were  on  a  line  with  the  Colonel's  and  running  right 
and  left  from  it.  The  officers  of  each  company  were  quartered 
in  a  hut  on  the  same  line,  and  each  facing  their  company  streets. 
The  Engineer  Corps'  hut  was  placed  near  Fourteenth  Street, 
and  the  Non-Commissioned  Staff  were  quartered  in  a  hut  at  the 
other  end,  near  Thirteenth  Street.  The  kitchens  were  erected  on 
the  other  side  of  K  Street.  The  huts  were  made  thoroughly 
water-tight,  and  were  considered  very  comfortable  and  con 
venient.  The  parade  ground  occupied  the  greater  part  of  the 
Square,  and  the  guard  house  was  placed  on  I  Street,  opposite  its 
center,  while  a  flagstaff  was  erected  at  the  end  of  the  Colonel's 
lane,  with  the  two  howitzers  of  "I"  Company  at  its  base.  A  se 
vere  course  of  drill,  commencing  from  the  very  day  of  de 
parture,  soon  brought  the  Regiment  to  a  remarkable  state  of 
proficiency.  Several  West  Point  Cadets,  of  the  class  which  had 
just  graduated,  were  assigned  as  instructors  to  the  different 
companies,  and  also  drilled  the  officers  in  skirmishing.  Lieuten 
ant  Emory  Upton,  late  Brevet  Major-General,  and  author  of  a 
prescribed  system  of  infantry  tactics,  took  special  charge  of  the 
officers'  drills,  and  lectured  to  them  in  the  Colonel's  quarters. 
Very  soon,  accordingly,  the  dress  parades  attracted  great  atten 
tion,  and  the  citizens  of  Washington  thronged  the  parade 
ground,  while  the  Regiment  received  the  warmest  commenda 
tions  from  officers  of  the  regular  army.  The  spectators  who 
assembled  in  crowds  on  I  Street  were  often  electrified  by  a 
bayonet  charge  in  line  of  battle  which  seemed  intended  to 
drive  them  from  the  ground,  but  the  line  was  always  prompt 
ly  halted  before  the  ladies  had  time  to  be  very  much  fright 
ened.  Another  favorite  exercise  was  to  dismiss  the  Regi 
ment,  the  men  concealing  themselves  in  their  quarters  until 
warned  by  the  sound  of  the  bugle  to  assemble  in  their  company 
streets,  and  reform  line  at  the  double-quick.  An  organization 
was  formed  among  the  officers  under  the  name  of  the  Guard 
House  Club,  which  was  productive  of  much  mirth  and  good 
fellowship,  Lieutenant  Loughran  having  the  credit  of  originat- 


24  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

ing  it,  and  perfecting  the  various  exercises  peculiar  to  its 
meetings. 

"On  Thursday,  May  23,  the  Regiment  was  strengthened  by 
the  arrival  of  Company  'K,'  Captain  Olmstead,  numbering  100 
men,  and  by  recruits  for  the  other  companies,  making  the  total 
of  the  command  1,023,  rank  and  file. 

"At  i  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  24th  of  May,  having 
received  orders  from  General  Mansfield,  the  Twelfth  crossed 
the  Long  Bridge,  and  having  the  honor  to  head  the  column, 
zvas  the  first  Union  Regiment  to  enter  Virginia.  For  several 
days  previous  to  this  memorable  advance  the  Regiment  had 
been  sleeping  on  its  arms,  anticipating  orders,  but  they  at  length 
came  very  suddenly  on  Thursday  evening,  May  23.  The  few 
hours  of  warning  were  occupied  in  completing  the  necessary 
preliminaries,  and  shortly  after  midnight  the  Regiment  assem 
bled  on  its  parade  ground ;  while  so  silently  were  the  prepara 
tions  for  departure  completed,  that  the  residents  around  the 
Square  were  not  awakened,  and  knew  nothing  of  the  Regiment's 
march  until  morning  came  without  the  usual  gun  being  fired. 
The  command  marched  in  column  of  platoons  down  Fourteenth 
Street,  and  crossed  the  Long  Bridge  by  the  flank  in  route  step. 
It  was  a  beautiful  moonlight  night,  and  the  moonbeams  glittered 
brightly  on  the  flashing  muskets  as  the  Regiment  silently  ad 
vanced  across  the  bridge.  The  Engineer  Corps,  commanded 
by  Captain  B.  S.  Church,  led  the  column,  driving  in  the  picket 
line  stationed  near  the  bridge  as  they  advanced.  The  Regi 
ment  proceeded  toward  Alexandria  for  a  considerable  distance, 
and  then  partially  retracing  its  steps  marched  to  Roach's  Mills, 
a  point  some  six  miles  from  Washington,  where  it  occupied  the 
advanced  post  of  honor.  Several  companies  were  quartered 
in  the  old  mill,  while  the  remainder  erected  wigwams  on  the 
neighboring  slopes — Colonel  Butterfield  establishing  his  head 
quarters  in  the  large  two-story  building  adjoining  the  mill.  At 
this  point,  where  it  was  quartered,  in  the  most  exposed  posi 
tion  of  all  the  regiments,  the  Twelfth  mustered  829,  rank  and 
file,  present  for  duty,  a  camp  guard  having  been  left  in  charge 
of  Camp  Anderson. 


Colonel  Buttertield  in  1861. 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  25 

"Captain  B.  S.  Church,  of  the  Engineer  Corps,  reconnoitered 
the  adjoining  country  for  miles,  and  prepared  a  topographical 
map  of  the  country  he  traversed  in  his  reconnoissances  for  the 
benefit  of  the  War  Department,  which  was  pronounced  to  be 
by  far  the  best  map  that  they  possessed.  He  subsequently  was 
detached  on  special  duty  with  Lieutenant  Snyder  of  the  U.  S. 
Engineers,  and  chose  the  sites  of  the  fortifications  on  Arlington 
Heights,  being  frequently  fired  on  by  the  rebel  scouts. 

"On  the  2d  of  June,  the  Twelfth,  being  relieved  by  the  2d 
Connecticut  Volunteers,  returned  to  Washington,  where,  dur 
ing  its  stay,  the  Regiment  attracted  especial  attention,  and  at 
the  parade  of  the  New  York  regiments,  on  July  4,  was  com 
mended  by  Lieutenant-General  Scott  for  its  solid  marching  and 
splendid  appearance,  while  the  brilliant  illumination  of  Camp 
Anderson,  and  the  accompanying  festivities  on  the  evening  of 
the  4th,  were  enjoyed  by  a  large  concourse  of  visitors.  This 
illumination  attracted  much  attention,  and  Franklin  Square  was 
thronged  with  the  ladies  and  citizens  of  Washington,  the  whole 
scene  presenting  a  fairy-like  aspect,  as  the  camp  glittered  with 
gaily  painted  Chinese  lanterns,  and  blazed  with  lights,  while 
dance  after  dance  followed  to  the  music  of  the  choicest  selec 
tions  of  the  regimental  band.  The  following  day  rumors  were 
in  circulation  of  an  approaching  transfer  to  Western  Virginia, 
and  on  Sunday,  July  7,  the  Regiment,  having  received  orders 
to  reinforce  General  Patterson  at  Martinsburg,  proceeded  to 
Baltimore,  marched  through  that  then  hostile  city,  and  took  the 
cars  for  Harrisburg,  and  thence  to  Hagerstown,  arriving  at  the 
latter  place  on  Monday  evening.  After  bivouacking  in  the 
woods,  it  left  Hagerstown  July  9,  at  half-past  five  p.  m., 
marched  to  Williamsport,  forded  the  Potomac,  passed  the  scene 
of  the  recent  skirmish  at  Falling  Waters,  and  marching  all 
night  arrived  at  Martinsburg,  a  distance  of  twenty-nine  miles, 
at  five  o'clock  the  next  morning.  The  encampment  at  Martins 
burg  was  known  as  Camp  Meigs. 

"The  troops  were  here  for  the  first  time  brigaded,  and  Col 
onel  Butterfield  was  detailed  to  command  the  Fourth  Brigade, 
consisting  of  the  Fifth,  Twelfth,  Nineteenth  and  Twenty- 


26  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

eighth  New  York  regiments.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wm.  G. 
Ward  assumed  command  of  the  Twelfth,  and  Lieutenant 
Loughran  became  Acting  Adjutant,  Adjutant  Locke  being  ap 
pointed  A.  A.  A.  G.  on  the  Brigade  Staff.  The  Regiment's 
stay  at  Martinsburg  was  diversified  by  a  foraging  expedition 
on  Monday,  July  12,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Ward,  the  detail  consisting  of  three  companies  of  the  Twelfth 
and  three  of  the  Twenty-eighth.  This  expedition  was  very 
successfully  conducted,  and  was  attended  by  a  slight  skirmish. 

"General  Patterson,  who  commanded  the  Army  Corps,  was 
expected  to  attack  the  rebels  at  Winchester;  and  on  Sunday, 
July  14,  a  very  solemn  service  was  celebrated  for  the  Regiment 
by  Acting  Chaplain,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tracy.  It  took  place  in  the 
woods,  and  all  who  took  part  in  it  believed  they  were  preparing 
for  a  bloody  battle.  On  Monday,  July  15,  the  army  advanced 
to  Bunker's  Hill,  where  it  encamped  for  a  day,  the  Twelfth  be 
ing  stationed  near  Sulphur  Springs,  at  a  spot  known  for  the 
time  as  Camp  Patterson.  On  reaching  Bunker's  Hill,  a  por 
tion  of  the  Rhode  Island  Battery  had  a  slight  skirmish  with  the 
enemy,  killing  one  and  wounding  two  of  the  rebel  cavalry. 
Early  on  Wednesday  morning,  July  17,  the  corps  left  Bunker's 
Hill,  expecting  an  immediate  advance  on  Winchester,  the  men 
being  in  the  best  of  spirits.  During  the  march,  a  reported  ad 
vance  of  the  rebels  caused  the  formation  of  the  troops  in  line 
of  battle,  the  wagon  train  passing  the  line  from  right  to  left. 
The  men  were  kept  in  line  from  9  a.  m.  until  2  p.  m.,  when  to 
the  surprise  of  all,  General  Patterson  marched  the  column  to 
Charlestown,  where  the  Twelfth  encamped  outside  the  town,  in 
a  large  field,  which  assumed  the  name  of  Camp  McClellan. 

"On  Sunday,  July  21,  the  troops  marched  to  Harper's  Ferry, 
and  occupied  a  position  on  Bolivar  Heights,  close  to  the  spot 
where  the  rebel  batteries  had  been  stationed.  The  camp  of  the 
Regiment  was  established  on  a  ridge  covered  with  a  dense 
thicket  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  deeply  cut  road.  General 
Patterson  now  sent  home  several  of  the  three  months'  regi 
ments,  among  others  the  gallant  Indiana  Zouaves,  nth  Regi 
ment,  whose  camping  ground  the  Twelfth  immediately  occu- 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  27 

pied,  and  named  Camp  Butterfield,  the  Regiment's  first  position 
on  Bolivar  Heights  having  been  known  as  Camp  McDowell. 
"The  term  for  which  the  Regiment  had  been  mustered  ex 
pired  on  the  1 6th  day  of  July,  but  Colonel  Butterfield  tendered 
its  services  until  the  2d  of  August,  and  the  War  Department 
promptly  accepted  the  offer.  On  Friday,  July  26,  four  com 
panies  of  the  Twelfth,  consisting  of  Companies  'B,'  Captain 
Huson;  'C,'  Captain  Fowler;  'E,'  Lieutenant  Ackerman,  and 
'A,'  Captain  Ward,  crossed  the  Shenandoah  and  occupied  the 
block  houses  built  by  the  rebels  on  Loudon  Heights.  These 
block  houses  formed  part  of  the  system  of  defences  erected  by 
the  rebel  General,  Joe  Johnston,  for  the  protection  of  Harper's 
Ferry.  A  battery  of  siege  guns  was  first  placed  on  Bolivar 
Heights.  This  was  protected  by  the  cannon  erected  on  the 
platforms  of  the  two  block  houses  on  Loudon  Heights,  and  a 
force  stationed  on  Maryland  Heights  prevented  the  latter  guns 
from  the  possibility  of  being  silenced.  When  General  John 
ston  retreated  from  Harper's  Ferry,  he  burned  the  carriages  of 
the  siege  guns  on  Bolivar  Heights,  and  spiked  the  latter  hastily 
with  ramrods.  Captain  Doubleday's  Battery  took  possession 
of  these  cannon,  and  sent  for  carriages  to  remount  them,  as 
the  ramrods  were  easily  removed,  but  they  were  not  finally  made 
serviceable  owing  to  the  evacuation  of  Harper's  Ferry  by  Gen 
eral  Banks.  The  four  companies  of  the  Twelfth  remained  two 
days  on  Loudon  Heights,  and  threw  out  pickets  down  the 
Loudon  side  of  the  mountain.  On  Sunday,  July  28,  General 
Banks,  who  had  succeeded  General  Patterson  in  command, 
ordered  the  evacuation  of  Harper's  Ferry,  and  withdrew  the 
regiments  stationed  at  Charlestown.  He  had  directed  the  four 
companies  from  the  Twelfth  to  remain  until  warned  by  a  col 
umn  of  smoke  to  descend.  A  party  of  officers  accordingly  as 
sembled  on  the  heights  overlooking  the  Potomac,  and  watched 
the  army  as  it  forded  the  river.  It  was  a  beautiful  sight.  The 
sunlight  tipped  the  bayonets  with  gold,  and  the  bands  played 
martial  airs,  as  regiment  after  regiment  advanced  to  the  ford 
and  stepped  into  the  gleaming  water.  The  view  from  the 
extremity  of  Loudon  Heights  is  majestic  in  the  extreme.  Di- 


28  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

rectly  below,  the  Shenandoah  pours  itself  into  the  Potomac, 
amid  some  of  the  grandest  scenery  of  this  spur  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,  its  turbid  waters  contrasting  with  the  graceful  windings 
of  the  clear  Potomac,  which  lend  a  mirror  to  the  thickly  wooded 
heights  on  either  side,  while  directly  opposite  tower  Maryland 
Heights,  affording  an  abrupt  contrast,  which  adds  to  the  beauty 
of  the  scene.  Soon  a  cloud  of  dust  heralded  the  march  of  the 
regiments  retreating  from  that  point.  Before  the  entire  force 
had  crossed  a  rain  storm  came  up,  the  gathering  clouds  and 
driving  rain  adding  to  the  grandeur  of  the  landscape.  Finally 
the  column  of  smoke  was  discerned,  and  the  four  companies 
assembled  under  the  orders  of  Captain  Huson,  who  had  com 
mand  of  the  detachment,  and  rapidly  descending  the  heights, 
forded  first  the  Shenandoah,  and  afterward  the  Potomac,  being 
the  last  troops  to  leave  Harper's  Ferry.  After  crossing  the 
Potomac,  a  hasty  march  brought  the  detachment  to  Knoxville, 
where  the  remainder  of  the  Regiment  was  encamped.  The 
Twelfth  remained  at  this  point  until  ordered  home,  taking  the 
cars  on  Thursday,  August  I,  by  way  of  Baltimore  and  Phila 
delphia  to  Amboy,  and  embarking  there  for  New  York.  As 
they  neared  the  city,  the  men  exerted  themselves  to  present  the 
best  possible  appearance,  but  owing  to  some  delays  the  wharf 
was  not  reached  until  late  in  the  afternoon  of  Friday,  August 
2.  The  regiment  was  received  with  great  popular  honors,  the 
march  up  Broadway  being  much  impeded  by  the  dense  throng, 
and  marching  by  platoons,  the  front  extended  from  sidewalk  to 
sidewalk.  On  Monday,  August  5,  the  Regiment  was  mustered 
out  of  the  United  States  service  at  Washington  Square,  by 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Sheppard,  U.  S.  A. 

"Colonel  Butterfield  having  been  appointed  Brigadier-Gen 
eral  of  Volunteers  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  U.  S.  Army, 
August  29,  1861,  the  office  of  Colonel  remained  vacant  until 
Friday,  October  25,  when  Lieutenant-Colonel  William  G. 
Ward  was  elected  his  successor.  Shortly  after  the  Regiment 
was  mustered  out,  Ex-Lieutenant-Colonel  Henry  A.  Weeks 
commenced  raising  a  regiment  for  the  war.  Captains  Boyle, 
Huson,  Ryder,  Cromie  and  Fowler,  and  Lieutenant  Hoagland, 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  29 

of  Companies  G,  B,  E,  F,  C,  and  A,  of  the  Twelfth,  each 
raised  companies  from  their  own  regiment  for  this  organization, 
which  was  consolidated  February  3,  1862,  with  the  Twelfth 
Volunteers  from  Onondaga  County,  Colonel  Weeks  assuming 
command.  This  regiment  formed  part  of  General  Butterfield's 
Brigade,  and  did  gallant  service  with  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac." 

The  following  communication  from  the  British  War  Office 
was  addressed  to  Butterfield's  friend,  Mr.  L.  H.  Millard : 

WAR  OFFICE,  April  5,  1861. 

SIR — I  am  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  State  for  War  to  ac 
knowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  I2th  inst.,  forward 
ing  a  plan  drawn  up  by  Colonel  Butterfield,  of  the  I2th  Regi 
ment,  New  York  Militia,  for  forming  square  in  two  or  four 
ranks  from  line  of  battle.  Lord  Herbert  desires  me  to  express 
his  thanks  for  this  communication,  which  he  has  caused  to  be 
forwarded  to  the  Adjutant-General  for  the  information  of  His 
Royal  Highness  the  General  Commanding  in  Chief. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 

Your  obedient  servant,  EDWARD  LUGARD. 

The  accompanying  extract  from  a  letter  written  by  Col.  Ed 
ward  F.  Jones,  with  which  our  first  chapter  is  concluded,  dated 
Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  April  19,  1901,  recalls  an  interesting  Lin 
coln  incident  that  occurred,  two-score  years  previous,  after  he 
met  Butterfield  at  Havre-de-Grace : 

"Forty  years  ago,  on  the  igth  of  April,  when  on  my  way  to 
Washington,  at  the  head  of  the  old  Sixth  Massachusetts  Regi 
ment,  I  met  you  at  Havre-de-Grace,  you  being  on  your  way,  as 
you  said,  to  New  York  to  get  your  regiment.  It  is  quite  nat 
ural  that  while  recalling  in  detail  the  occurrences  of  that  event 
ful  day  that  my  meeting  with  you  should  come  to  mind,  es 
pecially  as  you  took  so  prominent  a  part  in  the  subsequent 
events  of  the  Civil  War.  The  next  to  grasp  my  hand,  after 
we  parted,  was  President  Lincoln,  who  said,  as  he  greeted  me : 
'If  you  had  not  arrived  to-night  we  should  have  been  in  the 
hands  of  the  rebels  before  morning.' " 


30  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 


CHAPTER    II. 

The  Twelfth  in  Washington — In  Virginia — Butterfield  Promoted — 
Commands  a  Brigade — With  General  Patterson — Bugle  Calls — 
The  Siege  of  Yorktown — Battle  of  Hanover  Court  House — Cap 
tures  Gun— Official  and  Other  Reports— Gold  Spurs— Speech  at 
Presentation. 

GEN.  PAUL  A.  OLIVER  writes  to  the  editor  of  this  volume : 
"I  first  saw  General  Butterfield  in  Washington,  when  colonel 
of  the  1 2th  Regiment  of  New  York.  He  had  brought  it  to 
Washington,  at  the  time  Washington  was  threatened  in  April, 
1 86 1.  It  was  a  full  regiment,  three-quarters  composed  of  re 
cruits.  Old  army  officers  ridiculed  the  idea  that  these  could  be 
made  soldiers  of  in  less  than  a  year,  but  in  a  month's  time  he 
had  them  all  uniformed  and  equipped,  and  in  another  month 
they  were  thoroughly  drilled.  Their  fine  appearance  and  splen 
did  marching  won  the  admiration  of  the  same  army  officers  who 
had  ridiculed  them  before.  Many  old  residents  of  Washington 
remember  to-day  the  splendid  wheels  of  Butterfield's  Twelfth 
as  it  marched  down  Pennsylvania  avenue  and  through  the  prin 
cipal  streets.  The  perfect  drill  and  efficiency  of  the  Regiment 
attracted  a  great  deal  of  attention  in  Washington." 

General  Scott,  then  at  the  head  of  the  army,  was  so  strongly 
impressed  by  the  soldierly  appearance  of  the  Twelfth,  that  he 
spoke  of  it  as  "more  closely  resembling  a  regiment  of  regulars" 
than  militia.  Within  a  brief  period,  chiefly  on  his  recommen 
dation,  Butterfield  was  made  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Twelfth 
United  States  Infantry,  his  commission  being  dated  May  14, 
1 86 1,  and  Brigadier-General  of  Volunteers,  September  7,  1861. 
The  following  letter  from  the  pen  of  gallant  Phil  Kearny,  ad 
dressed  to  his  cousin,  Gen.  J.  Watts  de  Peyster,  is  introduced 
here,  owing  to  its  highly  complimentary  allusion  to  Butterfield 
and  his  famous  New  York  regiment : 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  31 

HEADQUARTERS,  NEW  JERSEY  BRIGADE, 

CAMP  SEMINARY,  Jan.  21,  1862. 

DEAR  JOHN — Your  most  interesting  letter  still  affords  me 
subject  of  reflection,  and  strange  to  say,  the  Burnside  expedi 
tion  seems  to  be  about  to  realize  your  project  as  to  Albemarle 
Sound. 

I  think  that  I  thanked  you  for  the  interesting  extracts  you 
forwarded  me  from  the  useful  translations  made  by  you  from 
the  German.  I  have  in  good  keeping  the  second  and  third 
volumes  of  "The  Eclaireur,"  and  Waimvright  sent  for,  and  lent 
me,  the  first  volume.  It  was  a  noble  pearl  before  conceited 
swine.  I  am  sorry  that  you  do  not  come  on.  I  am  sure  that 
your  active  mind  would  be  better  satisfied.  I  have  recently 
been  thrown  in  contact,  most  agreeably,  with  General  Butter- 
field.  He  seems  a  charming  gentleman,  and  of  the  right  ma 
terial.  I  give  you  credit  for  your  discernment  as  to  him.  He 
has  been  brought  forward  entirely  by  regular  officers  (Gen. 
Fitz-John  Porter,  etc.),  and  therefore  solely  on  his  merits.  I 
have  ever  said  that  his  I2th  Regiment  was  one  of  the  most 
superbly  set-up  regiments  that  I  have  ever  seen  in  any  quarter 
of  the  globe,  and  principally  composed  of  raw  men  (so  much 
the  better  for  him  with  his  good  discipline).  .  .  . 

General  Porter's  attention  was  early  attracted  by  the  admir 
able  bearing  and  appearance  of  the  Twelfth  Regiment,  and  he 
solicited  and  obtained  the  appointment  of  Butterfield  to  be 
brigadier-general  of  volunteers,  and  an  assignment  to  his  own 
command.  General  Butterfield  proved,  as  Porter  anticipated, 
a  strict  disciplinarian  and  an  admirable  drill  officer.  Said  an 
officer  of  his  Brigade,  recently:  "For  a  time  I  don't  think  I 
ever  hated  a  man  more  in  my  life  than  I  did  General  Butter- 
field  ;  he  drilled  us  so  unmercifully,  as  we  then  thought.  It  was 
'double-quick'  from  morning  until  night,  and  sometimes  at  mid 
night,  to  see  how  well  we  could  do  it.  If  all  the  balls  which  the 

o 

boys  vowed  would  go  through  him  in  our  first  engagement  had 
done  so,  he  would  have  been  riddled  worse  than  any  coal  sieve 
you  ever  saw,  and  I  don't  think  he  would  be  here  to-day.  But 
Butterfield  never  was  afraid  of  balls,  and  when  we  realized  his 


32  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

worthy  purpose  in  thus  drilling  or  disciplining  his  men,  which 
we  did  not  fully  until  the  enemy  had  been  met — and  upon  the 
field  beheld,  amid  those  exciting  scenes,  his  usually  stern  coun 
tenance  wreathed  in  smiles  as,  dashing  up  and  down  the  line 
amid  the  leaden  hail  with  waving  sword,  he  would  cry,  'Come 
on,  boys,  give  them  a  Roland  for  their  Oliver ! — then,  amid  the 
red-hot  shot  of  the  bloody  field,  we  became  better  acquainted 
with  our  gallant  leader,  and  strong  hatred  was  turned  to 
stronger  love." 

In  a  letter  to  a  friend,  written  during  the  following  year, 
General  Porter  mentioned  Butterfield  in  the  following  flatter 
ing  manner:  "He  was  certainly  a  splendid  commander  and  a 
good  model  for  any  one :  quick,  brave,  and  his  men  had  perfect 
confidence  in  him.  Butterfield's  conduct  at  Second  Bull  Run 
was  admirable.  He  held  his  men  well  together."  In  conver 
sation  with  a  friend  but  a  few  years  before  his  death,  Porter 
said :  "General  Butterfield  had  no  superior  as  a  soldier  among 
the  young  volunteer  commanders  who  came  under  my  personal 
notice."  In  the  "History  of  the  Fifth  Army  Corps,"  the  author 
writes :  "All  reports  bear  witness  to  the  care,  energy  and  abil 
ity  of  General  Butterfield  in  the  handling  of  his  Brigade,  and 
to  his  personal  gallantry  in  inspiring  and  leading  his  troops/" 

From  London,  under  date  of  May  3,  1861,  Henry  Bergh 
writes  to  Colonel  Butterfield,  who  had  married  his  niece : 

MY  DEAR  MR.  BUTTERFIELD:  LONDON,  May  3,  1861. 

Now  that  "grim-visaged  war"  is  looking  you  directly  in  the 
face,  I  presume  that  handsome,  intelligent  countenance  of 
yours,  which  in  times  of  peace  speaks  of  money  and  enterprize, 
is  frowning  with  military  fury.  And  so  it  should — for,  as 
Shakespeare  says,  "in  times  of  peace  there's  nothing  so  be 
comes  a  man  as  gentleness  of  bearing ;  but,  when  the  rude  blast 
of  war  is  sounded  in  our  ears,  let  us  be  bloodhounds  in  pur 
suit  of  our  revenge!" 

An  opportunity  now  presents  itself  for  you  to  distinguish 
yourself — and  I  greatly  mistake  if  you  do  not  avail  yourself  of 
it.  Whichever  side  may  win,  the  thing  most  essential  is,  in 


GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 

my  opinion,  a  total  change  of  government,  by  the  destruction 
of  the  principle  of  universal  suffrage — the  rock  upon  which  our 
nation  is  now  split,  although  it  seems  to  be  the  question  of 
slavery.  Were  there  no  State  but  one  in  America,  and  at  the 
head  of  that  State  a  man,  supported  by  the  necessary  means  to 
beat  rebellion  into  submission,  without  first  asking  permission 
of  Tom,  Dick  and  Harry,  this  revolution  would  be  soon  finished 
— or  rather,  it  would  never  take  place.  My  advice  to  you,  my 
dear  fellow,  is  to  go  to  work  and  create  a  military  despotism, 
until  that  cursed  incubus,  universal  suffrage,  is  destroyed ;  then 
give  to  everybody  the  privileges  his  talents,  virtue  and  worth 
entitle  him  to.  You  have  military  capacities — youth,  health 
and  courage — why  should  you  not  make  yourself  the  "man  in 
the  right  place"  to  whom  I  allude  ? 

At  any  rate,  let  your  views  differ  ever  so  much  from  mine  in 
those  particulars,  I'm  sure  we  think  alike  on  one  point,  and  that 
is,  that  those  infernal  Southern  traitors  and  slavers  shall  be 
beaten,  cost  what  it  will ! 

I  thank  you  kindly  for  the  letters  you  have  sent  me ;  and  in 
relation  to  the  other  matter,  to  which  you  allude,  be  assured  I 
shall  exercise  the  utmost  discretion,  although,  I  must  add, 
that  I  think  the  rumors  of  which  you  speak  have  no  foundation 
in  fact.  Will  you  please,  in  your  next,  be  more  explicit?  The 
persons  to  whom  I  gave  the  order  for  the  books  you  sent  for 
have  not  been  able  to  procure  them;  but  now  that  I  am  here 
in  person,  I  shall  renew  my  efforts.  Love  to  Lizzie.  Kiss  the 
heir  apparent  to  the  throne  of  Washington,  and  believe  me, 
Yours  most  truly, 

HENRY  BERGH. 

Describing  a  night  visit  to  the  camp  of  the  i2th  Regiment, 
in  Franklin  Square,  Washington,  a  New  York  correspondent 
writes  to  the  "Herald,"  May  20,  1861 : 

"At  night  I  visited  the  camp  of  the  New  York  Twelfth  Regi 
ment,  commanded  by  Colonel  Butterfield,  which  is  situated  on 
one  of  the  squares  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city.  The  huts  and 
tents  were  gaily  illuminated  with  lamps,  and  a  crowd  of  well- 


34  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

dressed  people,  never  tired  of  the  novelty  of  actual  military  life, 
strolled  about  among  the  lines,  and  enjoyed  the  music  of  the 
regimental  bands.  There  was  no  drunkenness,  but  a  great 
deal  of  gaiety,  and  finally  a  dance  before  visitors  were  com 
pelled  to  withdraw.  As  an  instance  of  the  good  conduct  of  the 
Regiment,  let  me  say  that  the  Colonel  gave  all  the  men  leave, 
en  masse,  for  the  day,  up  to  four  o'clock.  At  that  hour  every 
man  had  returned  out  of  the  900  except  two,  who  afterward 
appeared  much  bemussed  with  lager  beer.  And  this  is  a  large 
city,  with  many  grogshops,  and  spirits  very  cheap  and  dread 
fully  intoxicating.  The  sick  list  shows  thirty  invalids,  most 
suffering  from  diarrhoea.  On  the  surgeon's  table  lay  returns 
furnished  by  Professor  Henry,  of  the  Smithsonian,  to  be  filled 
up  with  statistical  facts  as  to  the  birthplace,  age,  height,  weight 
and  size  of  chest,  etc.,  of  the  men.  The  sheet  I  looked  at  re 
ferred  to  a  section  of  twelve  men.  Of  these  only  two<  were 
citizens  of  the  United  States — born  therein — four  were  natives 
of  England,  six  were  Irishmen,  and  of  these  one-half  showed 
more  beef  and  bone  and  stature  than  their  comrades. 

"Colonel  Butterfield  is  a  New  York  merchant,  who  held  militia 
rank  before  he  commanded  this  regiment,  and  his  men  are, 
without  a  word  of  flattery,  a  credit  to  him  and  his  officers." 

Seven  days  later  a  correspondent  of  the  "Evening  Post" 
writes  from  Washington : 

"Colonel  Butterfield's  Twelfth  Regiment,  which  has  its  loca 
tion  on  the  heights  toward  Arlington,  is  in  equally  good  condi 
tion,  and  anxious  for  an  early  contest  with  its  country's  assail 
ants.  The  Twelfth  was  justly  and  highly  honored  by  General 
Mansfield  in  being  given  the  lead  in  the  movement  of  Thursday 
night.  It  was  the  first  regiment  to  enter  Virginia,  and  if  needs 
be  will  be  the  last  to  leave  it.  In  ten  minutes  from  the  time 
the  order  was  given  on  Thursday  evening,  the  men  were  out 
of  their  beds,  dressed,  and  in  marching  order,  and  so  quietly 
did  they  leave  their  city  encampment  that  the  residents  in  the 
vicinity  were  not  aware  of  their  departure  until  the  following 
day.  In  all  that  pertains  to  strict  discipline,  accurate  drill  and 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  35 

soldierly  bearing  the  Twelfth  Regiment  is  unsurpassed  and  an 
honor  to  its  accomplished  Colonel.  From  the  Twelfth  we  were 
kindly  conducted  by  a  guide  provided  by  Colonel  Butterfield  to 
the  station  of  the  Twenty-fifth  (Albany)  Regiment,  some  three 
miles  distant,  and  in  a  position  overlooking  Washington  and  the 
entire  surrounding  country.  The  Colonel  has  his  quarters  at  a 
farmhouse,  and  the  men  have  erected  temporary  cabins  of  brush, 
which  are  more  unique  than  comfortable.  The  regiment  is  a 
small  one,  but  plucky,  and,  like  all  others,  impatient  for  battle." 

Henry  Bergh,  who  was  then  aiding  his  country  abroad  in 
various  ways,  including  the  purchase  of  artillery,  in  a  letter 
dated  London,  May  28,  1861,  writes  to  Butterfield: 

"By  your  last  letter  we  learn  that  you  have  again  buckled  on 
your  armor,  and  are  ready  to  do  fight,  if  need  be,  against  the 
enemies  of  our  country.  If  the  newspapers  are  to  be  believed 
there  never  has  been  such  a  sudden  and  spontaneous  uprising 
of  a  people  in  the  world  before,  and  with  the  rapidity  of  the 
electric  spark  has  been  communicated  to  this  side  of  the  At 
lantic.  The  Northerners  are  a  unit  here  as  well  as  at  home. 
On  the  1 8th  of  the  present  month  a  meeting  was  held  of  Amer 
icans,  having  for  its  object  the  expression  of  a  loyal  sympathy 
with  our  Government,  and  entire  devotion  to  its  interests. 

"A  committee  was  also  formed,  which  was  charged  with  the 
duty  of  collecting  subscriptions  of  money  for  the  purpose  of 
purchasing  Armstrong  and  Whitworth  cannon,  to  be  dis 
patched  with  as  little  delay  as  possible  to  the  United  States. 
Many  splendid  guns  have  already  been  procured,  and  are  now 
on  their  way  to  New  York,  and  our  brethren  in  Paris  are  en 
gaged  in  a  similar  duty  there.  The  committee  to  which  I  have 
alluded  was  constituted  as  follows:  Henry  Bergh,  Colonel 
Fremont,  Gen.  Van  Den  Burgh. 

"It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  you  to  give  you  the  conclud 
ing  paragraph  of  my  speech  at  the  meeting,  to  which  I  have 
alluded,  so  here  it  is : 

"  'Before  I  conclude,  Mr.  Chairman,  permit  me  to  thank  the 
meeting  for  the  honor  it  has  done  me  in  associating  my  name 


36  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

with  a  subject  so  dear  to  the  heart  of  every  loyal  American — 
that  of  aiding  in  the  restoration  of  his  country's  outraged  au 
thority.  I  am  especially  grateful  for  this  mark  of  confidence, 
for  the  reason  that  it  affords  me  an  opportunity  of  acquitting 
myself  of  my  share  of  a  sacred  duty,  in  common  with  the  pa 
triotic  labors  of  our  countrymen  and  countrywomen  in  the  Free 
Confederacy  of  the  North.  Whatever  services  of  a  personal 
character  I  shall  be  able  to  afford  the  cause  in  which  we  are 
engaged  will  be  zealously,  if  imperfectly,  performed,  and  you 
will  perhaps  pardon  me  the  liberty  I  take  in  offering  an  atone 
ment  in  advance  of  my  shortcomings  in  the  more  important  per 
formances  of  a  member  of  my  family. 

"  'This,  sir,  is  a  nephew  of  mine  by  marriage — a  young  gen 
tleman  who,  for  years,  has  made  military  science  a  laborious 
study — whom  I  have  seen,  night  after  night,  "burning  the  mid 
night  oil"  in  manceuvering  mimic  armies  upon  a  table ;  now  in 
hollow  square  en  echelle,  and  open  order;  then  in  compact 
phalanx,  rushing  into  "the  imminent  and  deadly  breach,"  or 
operating  a  difficult  judicious  and  successful  retreat.  Nor  have 
these  earnest  investigations  been  barren  of  results,  both  present 
and  prospective,  for  he  has  imparted  their  usefulness  to  as 
noble  a  corps  of  volunteers  as  are  to  be  found  in  the  great  com 
mercial  emporium  of  New  York — who,  at  the  call  of  their  coun 
try,  have  thrown  away  the  peaceful,  money-making  pen,  and 
substituted  the  sharp,  avenging  sword.  The  name  of  this 
corps,  and  the  soldier  to  whom  its  discipline  has  been  confided, 
is  the  Twelfth  Regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers,  Col.  Daniel 
Butterfield,  now  in  Washington,  if  not  already  in  Richmond,  or 
Montgomery,  the  self-styled  capital  of  as  base  a  confederacy 
of  national  brigands  and  pirates  as  the  world  ever  saw.  One 
word  more  and  I  have  done. 

"  'It  is  my  sincere  conviction  that  the  flag  intrusted  to  these 
brave  men — beneath  whose  graceful  folds  our  childhood  and 
maturity  have  flourished,  and  our  country  placed  in  the  ad 
vanced  rank  of  civilized  nations — is  destined  to  be  elevated 
higher  than  ever  before,  above  the  bleached  bones  and  moulder 
ing  bodies  of  the  traitors  who  have  dared  to  lower  it.' 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  37 

"So,  you  perceive,  we  are  not  idle  on  this  side.  I  have  been 
at  work  raising  money,  and  have  collected  a  considerable 
bum." 

General  Heintzleman,  in  his  report  of  the  crossing  of  the 
Long  Bridge  and  occupation  of  Arlington  on  the  24th  of  May, 
1 86 1,  says  : 

"During  the  day  I  warned  the  regiments  to  be  prepared  to 
march  at  a  moment's  notice,  and  at  9  p.  m.  officers  were  sent  to 
the  colonels  directing  them  to  march  to  the  Washington  end 
of  the  Long  Bridge.  The  orders  were  to  enter  on  the  bridge 
at  2  p.  m.  on  the  24th  of  May.  A  few  minutes  before  the  hour 
the  head  of  the  column  halted  at  the  Washington  end  of  the 
bridge,  and  precisely  at  the  hour,  the  troops  advanced,  the 
Twelfth  New  York  State  Militia,  Colonel  Daniel  Butter  field, 
leading.  The  troops  which  crossed  were  the  I2th,  25th  and  7th 
New  York,  the  3d  New  Jersey,  one  company  of  cavalry,  and  one 
section  of  artillery." 

It  was  on  the  eve  of  the  Virginia  election,  to  determine  for 
or  against  secession.  The  crossing  of  the  bridge  was  a  grand 
and  impressive  spectacle.  The  moon  was  full  and  the  sky 
cloudless.  Silently,  solemnly  and  firmly  the  gallant  troops 
marched  across  the  river,  no  sound  to  disturb  the  solemnity  but 
that  of  their  own  footsteps — the  order  and  firmness  of  which 
heightened  the  effect,  and  thus  the  Constitution  zvas  proclaimed 
by  the  advance  of  the  Twelfth  New  York  (Colonel  Butterfield) 
on  the  right  bank,  before  the  rear  of  the  column  had  left  the 
left  bank  of  the  river. 

The  accompanying  are  copies  of  several  of  the  many  orders 
issued  in  Washington,  and  after  the  advance  into  Virginia : 

HEADQUARTERS,  TWELFTH  REGIMENT,  N.  Y.  S.  T., 

CAMP  ANDERSON,  May  13,  1861. 

Special  Orders  No.  57. 

Companies  will  fall  in  at  parade  rest  in  two  ranks  without 
regard  to  size  at  Reveille  and  tattoo  roll-calls. 


38  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

Sergeants  will  commence  calling  the  rolls  at  the  moment  the 
last  roll  of  the  drum  ceases.  Absentees  from  these  roll-calls  or 
those  late  will  be  deprived  of  leave  of  absence  for  four  days. 

Talking  in  the  ranks,  neglect  in  uniform  and  appearance  and 
carelessness,  will  be  punished  by  confinement  in  the  guard 
house,  stoppage  of  leave,  etc. 

The  Colonel  will  promptly  reduce  to  the  ranks  any  non-com 
missioned  officer  neglectful  of  his  duty  in  future. 

All  sentences,  confinements,  etc.,  must  be  read  in  orders  be 
fore  companies. 

The  attention  of  commandants  of  companies  is  called  to  Par. 
no,  Army  Regulations.  By  order  of 

COLONEL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 

FRED  T.  LOCKE,  Adjutant. 

HEADQUARTERS,  TWELFTH  REGIMENT,  N.  Y.  S.  T., 
CAMP  MANSFIELD, 

ROACH'S  MILLS,  FAIRFAX  Co.,  VA.,  May  29,  1861. 
General  Orders  No.  59. 

Officer  of  the  day,  Captain  Huson;  Officer  of  the  Guard, 
Lieutenant  Ackerman ;  Supernumerary,  Lieutenant  Barlow. 

Corporal  William  H.  Rose,  of  Company  A,  is  honorably  dis 
charged  from  service,  that  he  may  accept  a  Lieutenancy  in  one 
of  the  regiments  of  General  Sickle's  Brigade.  The  Colonel 
commanding  feels  honored  for  himself  and  his  command  that 
the  honorable  behavior  and  gentlemanly  bearing  of  the  mem 
bers  of  the  Regiment  has  given  them  so  high  a  reputation.  He 
exhorts  all  to  continue  their  exertions  to  have  the  Regiment 
maintain  its  high  position. 

Commandants  of  companies  will  be  excessively  cautious  as  to 
the  condition  of  their  pieces.     The  men  will  sleep  on  their  arms, 
have  their  canteens  filled  and  ready  for  action.     The  Colonel 
exhorts  every  man  to  do  his  whole  duty.     By  order  of 
COLONEL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 

FRED  T.  LOCKE,  Adjutant. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD  39 

HEADQUARTERS,  TWELFTH  REGIMENT,  N.  Y.  S.  T., 
CAMP  MANSFIELD, 

ROACH'S  MILLS,  VA.,  May  29,  1861. 
Special  Orders  No.  71. 

The  Officer  of  the  Day  and  Guard  will  see  that  prisoners  have 
nothing  but  bread  and  water,  that  no  communication  be  held 
with  parties  outside.  The  windows  to  be  boarded  up  tight  to 
within  eight  inches  of  the  top. 

Commandants  of  companies  will  see  that  men  late  at  drill 
have  six  hours  in  Guard  House  on  bread  and  water;  men  ab 
sent  without  leave,  twelve  hours  in  Guard  House  on  bread  and 
water,  and  to  be  sent  for  to  company  drills  and  returned  to 
Guard  House  at  dismissal.  When  unfit  for  duty,  must  get  the 
Surgeon's  certificate  to  their  Captain's  that  they  are  relieved 
from  duty,  and  state  for  how  long.  By  order  of 

COLONEL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 

FRED  T.  LOCKE,  Adjutant. 

A  correspondent  of  the  New  York  "Times,"  writing  from 
Camp  Anderson,  Washington,  June  3,  1861,  thus  describes  the 
Twelfth  Regiment  in  Virginia: 

At  ten  o'clock  on  Tuesday  night,  the  Twelfth  had  orders  to 
march  at  once.  No  one  but  Colonel  Butterfield,  of  this  corps, 
knew  the  destination.  "Twenty-four  hours'  rations,  one  blank 
et  and  knapsack,"  was  the  order.  Our  men,  tired  of  barrack 
life,  sprang  with  alacrity  at  the  command,  and  before  the  small 
hours  of  the  morning  we  were  across  the  Long  Bridge  and  on 
the  sacred  soil  of  Virginia.  Taking  the  route  step  in  quiet  and 
silence,  the  men  moved  along  till  we  passed  the  encampments  of 
the  Massachusetts  Fifth  and  the  New  York  Twenty-fifth  and 
New  York  Eighth  Horse  Guards,  when  we  came  to  a  stand 
still  about  seven  miles  from  Washington,  three  miles  from 
Arlington  House  and  two  from  Alexandria.  We  were  put  in 
command  of  Roach's  Mills,  an  important  post,  and  one  needful 
to  be  guarded  while  intrenchments  were  dug  and  fortifications 
thrown  up.  General  Mansfield  did  the  Regiment  the  honor  to 


40  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

say  that  he  sent  this  one  to  lead  in  the  possession  of  Virginia 
because  it  was  best  fitted  for  the  work,  and  of  its  discipline  and 
valor  he  had  the  highest  confidence. 

All  was  silence  and  desolation  along  our  route.  God  seemed 
to  have  done  everything  for  this  land — man  nothing.  The 
scenery  was  delightful ;  the  soil  poor  and  worn  out — the  natural 
growth  abundant,  the  tillage  thin  and  dwarfish.  No  man  or 
child  seemed  aware  of  our  approach,  and  we  halted  amid  a  si 
lence  that  was  oppressive. 

At  about  4  a.  m.  on  Friday  we  came  to  a  halt.  Three  dilapi 
dated  old  windowless  houses — occupied  by  one  black  man,  and 
filled  with  all  manner  of  vermin,  which  must  be  numbered 
among  the  peculiar  institutions  of  Virginia — were  open  to  our 
comfort.  Our  men  were  tentless.  But  a  good  march  is  a 
wonderful  wooer  of  nature's  sweet  restorer,  and  all  the  men, 
tired  and  worn  out,  fell  asleep  on  the  ground.  But  amid  much 
peril,  an  unscrupulous  foe,  that  skulks  in  the  bushes  and  the 
runs,  the  men  had  to  be  alert.  Pickets  were  established,  guards 
made  strong,  ammunition  distributed,  and  the  men  put  on  their 
guard. 

A  better  set  of  men  I  never  saw.  Ten  days  they  bore  this 
life  without  a  murmur.  With  axes  in  hand  they  felled  trees 
and  made  booths  to  dwell  in,  and  bore  all  the  privations  without 
complaint.  A  little  expedition  was  planned  that  would  have 
told  well  for  the  pluck  of  this  command.  But  the  blunder  of 
a  small  corps  of  Uncle  Sam's  men  spoilt  it  all. 

The  Staff  of  the  Twelfth  are  well  known  in  New  York,  and 
it  would  do  their  friends  good  to  have  looked  in  on  them  in 
camp.  But  one  room  could  be  used  with  any  degree  of  com 
fort,  or  even  safety.  Indeed,  the  surgeon,  who  is  quite  a  small 
man,  though  every  inch  of  him  is  smart,  undertook  to  have  a 
room  to  himself,  as  he  has  near  Fifth  Avenue,  in  New  York. 
But  I  am  told  that  he  was  taken  up  bodily,  and  had  not  the  Staff 
come  to  his  rescue  he  would  have  been  laid  up  in  the  Commis 
sary  Department  for  winter's  use.  But  the  only  room  safe  to 
repose  in,  all  the  Staff  quartered.  Colonel  Butterfield  had  one 
corner  assigned  to  himself,  in  consideration  of  his  dignity. 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  41 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Ward  lodged  out ;  he  had  a  camp  made 
of  a  huge  haystack  near  the  residence  of  a  small  and  very  lean 
cow,  with  no  horns.  In  another  corner  Paymaster  Pately, 
Quartermaster  Arnold,  Sergeants  Leesday  and  Weid,  and  Sec 
retary  Banks,  lay  side  by  side;  a  query  who  took  up  the  most 
room.  And  on  benches,  tables  and  chairs  the  rest  of  the  Staff 
made  themselves  comfortable.  But  we  slept  but  little.  The 
frequent  alarms — the  sounding  of  the  long  roll,  and  the  boom 
ing  of  guns,  brought  the  men  to  their  feet  often ;  to  say  nothing 
of  the  heat  and  the  army  of  foragers  who  were  all  so  eagerly 
panting  for  our  blood. 

A  smart  amount  of  work  was  done  in  that  ten  days.  The 
country  was  scoured — all  the  available  points  noted — maps 
made  of  all  the  county  bridges  built — fortifications  raised,  and 
the  men,  with  the  officers,  ready  for  anything.  Colonel  Butter- 
field  was  ubiquitous — now  at  Arlington  House — now  at  Alex 
andria — and  on  horseback  and  on  the  road  at  all  times. 

So  Saturday  night  found  us.  The  men  took  a  bath  in  the 
running  stream  near  the  camp.  The  Commissary  made  extra 
provisions  for  a  good  dinner — lamb,  turkey,  peas  and  straw 
berries  greeted  the  eye  as  we  glanced  into  his  department.  At 
three  o'clock,  Sunday  a.  m.,  the  clear,  shrill  notes  of  a  bugle 
were  heard.  Soon  a  full  band  fell  on  our  ear,  and  before  we 
could  get  on  our  feet,  a  regiment — friend  or  foe  we  could  not 
tell — were  within  our  lines.  "Call  out  the  guard"-  -"Sound  the 
long  roll" — "Beat  the  reveille''  were  heard  on  all  sides.  We 
soon  found  who  the  intruders  were.  One  of  the  peculiarities 
of  the  men  in  command  of  the  war  is — they  keep  their  own 
counsels.  We  were  to  be  relieved,  and  the  First  Regiment  of 
Connecticut  Volunteers  were  sent  to  do  it.  Most  splendidly 
were  they  appointed — camp  equipage,  horses,  wagons  and 
nurses.  Our  dinner  vanished  into  a  return  of  salt  pork  and  dry 
bread,  and  as  soon  as  our  feet  could  move,  we  were  on  the 
march  to  the  Capital. 

About  five  miles  from  camp  we  halted  in  as  beautiful  a  grove 
as  any  one  seen  this  side  of  Eden.  It  was  as  beautiful  as  that 
which  Adam  trod,  when  he  bowed  in  that  first  temple  built  by 


42  GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

God.  Our  men  came  to  a  halt,  formed  in  hollow  squares,  and 
were  ready  for  worship.  The  officers,  the  band,  and  the  flag 
were  in  the  center.  We  were  in  an  enemy's  country,  where  a 
banner  with  a  strange  device  usurped  the  flag  of  Washington. 
One  thousand  men,  loyal  and  true,  ready  to  defend  the  banner 
floating  over  the  Regiment,  with  their  lives,  stood  up  to  appeal 
to  the  God  of  battle  to  aid  them  in  the  conflict.  A  hymn  was 
sung  to  the  tune  of  "Lang  Syne" ;  a  Psalm  was  read,  a  prayer 
was  made,  and  then  the  Chaplain  gave  a  short  sermon  from  the 
words  "Endure  hardness  as  a  good  soldier."  He  pointed  out 
the  qualities  of  a  good  soldier,  alluded  to  our  peculiar  condition, 
and  dedicated  the  soil  of  Virginia  to  Freedom  and  Union,  and 
said  he  had  no  doubt  at  the  close  of  the  war  every  Minister  of 
Jesus,  in  any  part  of  Virginia,  would  imitate  his  Lord  and  be 
able,  as  he  did,  "to  preach  liberty  to  the  captives."  At  the 
close  of  the  sermon  the  command  took  up  the  line  of  march. 
The  heat  was  105°  in  the  sun.  The  dust  was  suffocating.  The 
men  were  loaded  down,  but  no  one  faltered.  At  three  p.  m., 
in  noble  order  and  with  steady  step,  the  Regiment  marched 
across  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  up  Fourteenth  Street  to  the  old 
quarters,  and  with  shouts  that  could  have  been  heard  from  the 
City  Hall  to  the  Battery,  took  possession  of  their  old  quarters. 
Such  a  Sunday  the  men  of  the  Twelfth  never  before  saw. 

The  following  anonymous  lines  are  believed  to  have  been 
written  by  General  Butterfield,  as  a  copy  was  found  among  his 
papers  with  his  initials  attached.  Without  being  positive  that 
such  is  the  case,  they  are  entitled  to  preservation  in  this  volume, 
if  only  to  illustrate  the  prevailing  sentiment  existing  at  the 
time  in  the  army  in  regard  to  the  over-confident  Western 
General. 

POPE'S  PROCLAMATION,  DATED  WASHINGTON,  JULY  15,  1862. 

YE  men  of  straps,  who  hold  commissions, 
Won  by  yourselves,  or  politicians ; 
And  ye  who  claim  the  harder  lot 
Of  being  marched,  and  drilled,  and  shot; 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  43 

All  ye  who  in  Virginia's  valley, 
Around  my  war-horse  soon  will  rally, — 
Inspect  your  arms,  increase  your  hope, 
And  yield  the  temp'ral  power  to  Pope. 

By  "special  act"  of  him  who  holds 
The  might  our  noble  flag  enfolds, 
I  am  assigned  to  ride  and  toil 
On  "Old  Virginia's"  rebel  soil. 
For  fourteen  weary  days  and  nights 
I've  walked,  and  talked,  and  dreamed  of  fights; 
In  "Senate  Halls,"  hotels,  and  street, 
I've  groaned  about  our  last  retreat, 
And  shown  you  all  the  only  man 
To  end  "that  Anaconda  plan." 
'Tis  thus  I've  learned  the  very  spot 
Where  we  should  be,  though  some  are  not,— 
Your  wants,  your  sanitary  state, 
And  all  that  makes  your  army  great, — 
Have  reached  it  in  minute  detail, 
Via  the  lightning  and  the  rail. 
But  now  this  work  is  almost  o'er, 
I'll  linger  mid  such  scenes  no  more,— 
I'll  take  my  war-steed  from  the  stall, 
My  saddle,  bridle,  spurs  and  all— 
Nor  stop  for  wind,  or  rain,  or  hail, 
Till  I'm  in  Shenandoah's  vale. 
But  ere  I  take  my  winding  way, 
I'll  stop  a  month  or  so  to  say- 
That  I'm  your  General,  friend,  and  brother, 
And  we  must  understand  each  other. 

I've  come  to  you  from  out  the  West, 
(This  my  dispatches  will  attest,) 
Where  we  beheld  the  rebels'  backs, 
And  sometimes  even  saw  their  tracks, 
Where  there  were  troops  whose  sole  desire 
Was  to  advance,  take  aim,  and  fire,— 


44  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Who  never  waited  for  the  foe 

To  fortify  and  then  to  go, 

Save  only  once,  when  all  our  pride 

Was  laid  in  trenches  deep  and  wide, 

Or  filed  in  forms  that  still  will  stand, 

Corinthian  columns  in  our  land. 

'Twas  there  that  with  strategic  power 

We  shot,  and  shot,  for  many  an  hour — 

We  shelled,  and  shelled,  no  foe  was  there — 

Halleck  and  Echo  answered — Where! 

Ah !  then  I  called  my  trusty  men, 

And  bade  them  all  advance  again, — 

We  dashed  through  each  deserted  place, 

We  longed  to  see  a  rebel's  face, 

We  caught  full  thirty  thousand  foes, 

(This  every  Richmond  paper  shows,) 

They  are  not  here,  they  are  not  there, 

Pope  and  the  People  answer — Where ! 

'Twas  deeds  like  this  that  brought  me  here, 

And  made  me  real  Brigadier. 

Soldiers,  I  know  you  pant  for  fame, — 

I  pledge  you,  you  shall  have  the  same, 

But  ere  we  move  I  want  to  say 

That  you  have  got  an  Eastern  way 

Of  talking  of  the  strongest  places, 

Lines  of  retreat,  and  proper  bases. 

All  these  discard  as  very  weak, — 

They're  phrases  the  Potomacs  speak,— 

This  is  a  wandering  tribe  of  men 

Who  marched  up  hill  and  down  again, 

And  soon  can  issue  squatter  claims 

On  land  beside  the  river  James. 

Leave  these  to  foes  who  have  no  pride, 

Or  to  some  friend  who's  seen  them  tried ; 

You  shall  press  onward,  never  fear, — 

Shame  and  distrust  lurk  in  the  rear, — 

Like  your  Commander,  fix  your  eye 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  45 

On  something  very,  very  high, — 

He  looks  not  backward  save  in  thought, — 

To  dwell  on  glory  dearly  bought, — 

To  hear  reporters  say  again, 

That  Pope  took  Island  No.  10, 

Cut  through  obstructions  night  and  day, 

Steered  every  gunboat  on  its  way, 

And  brought  his  soldiers  to  the  spot 

Where  rebels  had  been,  but  were  not. 

When  on  such  scenes  his  memory  dwells, 

Just  like  his  own  "Artesian  wells," 

His  feelings  try  in  vain  to  show 

The  depths  from  which  they  ought  to  flow. 

Soldiers,   I   soon  will  take  the  field : 

Then  all  the  rebel  ranks  will  yield, 

Your  banner  folds  will  then  reveal 

What  grateful  hearts  and  homes  will  feel, — 

That  you  have  won  a  glorious  name, 

And  linked  with  mine  your  deathless  fame. 

MORAL,  WRITTEN  AFTER  SECOND  BULL  RUN. 

O !  Pope,  John  Pope,  henceforth  be  wise, 

Let  older  men  your  course  advise: 

Men  who  have  "valor,"  "truth,"  and  "will," 

Though  wearing  "bars"  and  "eagles"  still, — 

Some  on  our  country's  field  of  Mars, 

Who  get  her  "stripes"  but  wear  no  "stars," 

They'll  tell  you  never  to  proclaim 

What  shall  be  done,  but  do  the  same ; 

And  if  you  must  write  any  more, 

Date  after  fights,  and  not  before, 

Because  it  is  not  always  sure 

That  you  can  call  defeat  detour ; 

Nor  can  you  always  hope  to  meet 

With  such  a  sure  and  good  retreat 

As  that  which  suits  your  genius  best, 


46  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

Among  the  warriors  of  the  West. 
For  there,  as  everybody  knows, 
Your  gun  will  make  you  flocks  of  foes, 
And  you  can  capture  without  fail, 
Not  rebels, — but  seceding  quail; 
There  you  can  tell  about  those  men 
Who  marched  up  hill  and  down  again, 
Who  now  have  left  the  river  James, 
And  squatted  on  Potomac  claims ; 
And  as  you  thought  their  phrases  weak, 
Use  those  the  great  Dacotahs  speak, 
And  hurl  them,  with  the  force  of  law, 
Against  each  savage  and  his  squaw, 
And  for  their  sure  annihilation 
Write  to  each  tribe  a  proclamation. 

While  at  the  front,  in  command  of  his  brigade  in  Virginia, 
Butterfield  was  gratified  by  the  receipt  of  the  following  docu 
ment  from  the  officials  of  the  American  Express  Company, 
with  which  he  had  been  connected  since  1849: 

OFFICE  OF  THE  AMERICAN  EXPRESS  Co., 

NEW  YORK,  Aug.  15,  1861. 

On  motion  of  Johnston  Livingston,  seconded  by  William  G. 
Fargo : 

Resolved,  That  the  Directors  of  the  American  Express  Com 
pany  appreciate  the  patriotic  and  prompt  services  of  their  Su 
perintendent,  Col.  Daniel  Butterfield,  in  behalf  of  his  country, 
and  congratulate  him  upon  the  credit  he  has  earned  during  his 
three  months'  campaign. 

Resolved,  That  his  position  in  this  company  is  open  for  him, 
and  that  should  he  feel  disposed  to  devote  his  services  "to  the 
war  for  the  preservation  of  the  union,"  the  company  will,  in 
consideration  of  the  high  appreciation  entertained  of  him  by 
the  National  Government  and  the  flattering  honor  conferred  on 
him,  continue  his  salary  during  the  war,  while  he  is  doing 
service  for  his  countrv. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  47 

Major  O.  W.  Norton,  a  member  of  Butterfield's  Brigade, 
writing  from  Chicago  to  the  editor  of  the  "Century"  Magazine, 
August  8,  1898,  says : 

CHICAGO,  Aug.  8,  1898. 

"I  was  much  interested  in  reading  the  article  by  Mr.  Gustav 
Kobbe,  on  'Trumpet  and  Bugle  Calls,'  in  the  August  'Cen 
tury.'  Mr.  Kobbe  says  that  he  has  been  unable  to  trace  the 
origin  of  the  call  now  used  for  Taps,  or  the  'Go-to-sleep,'  as 
it  is  generally  called  by  the  soldiers.  As  I  am  able  to  give  the 
origin  of  this  call,  I  think  the  following  statement  may  be  of 
interest  to  Mr.  Kobbe  and  your  readers. 

"During  the  early  part  of  the  Civil  War  I  was  bugler  at  the 
headquarters  of  Butterfield's  Brigade,  Morell's  Division,  Fitz- 
John  Porter's  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Up  to  July,  1862, 
the  infantry  call  for  Taps  was  that  set  down  in  Casey's  Tactics, 
which  Mr.  Kobbe  says  was  borrowed  from  the  French.  One 
day,  soon  after  the  seven  days'  battles  on  the  Peninsular,  when 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  lying  in  camp  at  Harrison's 
Landing,  General  Daniel  Butterfield,  then  commanding  our 
Brigade,  sent  for  me,  and  showing  me  some  notes  on  a  staff 
written  in  pencil  on  the  back  of  an  envelope,  asked  me  to  sound 
them  on  my  bugle.  I  did  this  several  times,  playing  the  music 
as  written.  He  changed  it  somewhat,  lengthening  some  notes 
and  shortening  others,  but  retaining  the  melody  as  he  first  gave 
it  to  me.  After  getting  it  to  his  satisfaction,  he  directed  me 
to  sound  that  call  for  Taps  thereafter,  in  place  of  the  regulation 
call.  The  music  was  beautiful  on  that  still  summer  night,  and 
was  heard  far  beyond  the  limits  of  our  Brigade.  The  next 
day  I  was  visited  by  several  buglers  from  neighboring  brigades, 
asking  for  copies  of  the  music,  which  I  gladly  furnished.  I 
think  no  general  order  was  issued  from  army  headquarters  au 
thorizing  the  substitution  of  this  for  the  regulation  call,  but  as 
each  brigade  commander  exercised  his  own  discretion  in  such 
minor  matters,  the  call  was  gradually  taken  up  all  through  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  I  have  been  told  that  it  was  carried  to 
the  Western  Armies  by  the  nth  and  I2th  Corps,  when  they 
went  to  Chattanooga,  in  the  fall  of  1863,  and  rapidly  made  its 


48 


GENEEAL    DAXIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 


way  through  those  armies.  I  did  not  presume  to  question  Gen 
eral  Butterfield  at  the  time,  but  from  the  manner  in  which  the 
call  was  given  to  me,  I  have  no  doubt  he  composed  it  in  his 
tent  at  Harrison's  Landing.  I  think  General  Butterfield  is  liv 
ing  at  Cold  Spring,  New  York.  If  you  think  the  matter  of 
sufficient  interest,  and  care  to  write  him  on  the  subject,  I  have 
no  doubt  he  will  confirm  my  statement. " 

In  answer  to  an  inquiry  from  the  editor  of  the  "Century," 
General  Butterfield,  writing  from  "Cragside,"  Cold  Spring,  un 
der  date  of  August  31,  1898,  said: 

"I  recall,  in  dim  memory,  the  substantial  truth  of  the  state 
ment  made  by  Norton,  of  the  83d  Pa.,  about  bugle  calls.  His 
letter  gives  the  impression  that  I  personally  wrote  the  notes 
for  the  call.  The  facts  are,  that  at  that  time  I  could  well 
sound  calls  on  the  bugle  as  a  necessary  part  of  military  knowl 
edge  and  instruction  for  an  officer  commanding  a  regiment  or 
brigade.  I  had  acquired  this  as  a  regimental  commander.  I 
had  also  composed  a  call  for  my  brigade,  to  precede  any  calls, 
indicating  that  such  were  calls,  or  orders,  for  my  brigade 
alone.  This  was  of  very  great  use  and  effect  on  the  march 
and  in  battle.  It  enabled  me  to  cause  my  whole  command,  at 
times,  in  march,  covering  over  a  mile  on  the  road,  to  all  halt, 
instantly,  and  lie  down,  and  to  all  arise  and  start  at  the  same 
moment ;  to  forward  in  line  of  battle,  simultaneously,  in  action 
and  charge,  etc.  It  saved  fatigue.  The  men  rather  liked  their 
call,  but  began  to  sing  my  name  to  it.  It  was  three  notes  and  a 
catch.  I  cannot  write  a  note  of  music,  but  have  gotten  my  wife 
to  write  it  from  my  whistling  it  to  her,  and  enclose  it.  The 
men  would  sing 


Dan,     Dan,     Dan,     Butterfield,    Butterfield. 

to  the  notes  when  a  call  came.     Later,  in  battle,  or  in  some  try- 


GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 


49 


ing  circumstances  for  an  advance  in  difficulties,  they  sometimes 
'Damn,  Damn,  Damn,  Butterfield,  Butterfield.' 

"The  call  of  Taps  did  not  seem  to  be  as  smooth,  melodious  and 
musical  as  it  should  be,  and  I  called  in  some  one  who  could 
write  music,  and  practiced  a  change  in  the  call  of  Taps  until 
I  had  it  to  suit  my  ear,  and  then,  as  Norton  writes,  got  it  to 
my  taste  without  being  able  to  write  music  or  knowing  the 
technical  name  of  any  note,  but,  simply  by  ear,  arranged  it  as 
Norton  describes. 

"I  did  not  recall  him  in  connection  with  it,  but  his  story  is 
substantially  correct.  Will  you  do  me  the  favor  to  send  Norton 
a  copy  of  this  letter  made  by  your  typewriter  ?  I  have  none. 

"I  enclose  you  a  couple  of  military  records  which  I  think 
have  some  allusions  to  the  bugle  calls  and  uses.  I  likewise 
established  a  call  for  my  command  in  the  2Oth  Corps,  Army  of 
Cumberland. 


'       P    •             W 

•1 

* 

•1 

•    t 

i  r     j- 

i 

v^>      *  •  * 

zr 

Put  out  the  lights,     Go  to  sleep,     Go  to  sleep, 

Go  to  sleep,  Go  to 

r              /O    • 

r          r 

r 

A             '                  1* 

"i       r  r 

f       ' 

P    * 

_//v\ 

J            ' 

J-« 

r 

\-Y 

sleep.  Put  out  the  lights,  Go  to 

sleep, 

Go    to    sleep. 

"Speaking  of  the  use  of  bugle  calls,  I  recall  the  night  of  the 
severe  fight  of  the  Second  Bull  Run,  or  Manassas,  where  I  com 
manded  the  division  of  two  brigades — one  being  absent — being 
ordered  to  retreat  to  Centreville.  All  during  the  night  my  call 
was  sounded,  as  we  marched  along,  deliberately  and  slowly,  af 
ter  the  hard  fight  of  the  day.  As  these  notes  rang  out  clear  and 
distinct  in  the  dark,  still  night,  sounded  by  myself,  they  would 
be  answered  by  the  regiments,  and  the  whole  command  was 
moved  without  the  loss  of  a  straggler.  It  was  a  thrilling  in- 


50  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 

cident  of  war.  Generals  Warren,  Griffin  and  Sykes  spoke  to 
me  of  it,  with  much  feeling,  as  a  marvelous  effect  upon  an  army 
corps  moving  at  night,  causing  it  to  move  so  steadily  and  so 
correctly  in  the  dark.  The  other  troops  of  the  corps  knew  the 
call  well,  and  followed  it.  I  have  no  doubt  that  many  of  the 
old  soldiers  of  my  command  in  the  5th  Corps,  Regulars  and 
Volunteers,  recall  it." 

The  following  letter  alludes  to  the  bugle  calls,  and  also  illus 
trates  a  characteristic  trait  of  the  General  in  his  constant  will 
ingness  to  aid  army  comrades — privates  no  less  than  commis 
sioned  officers — as  is  seen  in  his  giving  his  influence  in  ob 
taining  a  Medal  of  Honor  for  a  member  of  his  old  Brigade. 
The  writer  is  George  D.  Sidman,  and  is  dated  Philadelphia, 
May  2,  1892.  He  says  : 

"I  have  recently  received  from  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  War  a 
'Medal  of  Honor/  inscribed  as  follows:  "The  Congress  to 
Geo.  D.  Sidman,  late  of  Co.  "C,"  Mich.  Inf.  Vols.  For  dis 
tinguished  bravery  at  the  battle  of  Games'  Mill,  Va.,  June  27, 
1862.' 

"I  am  informed  by  Col.  Edward  Hill,  who,  it  seems,  origi 
nated  the  idea  of  bringing  about  this  recognition,  that  you 
kindly  gave  your  endorsement  and  influence  in  the  matter.  To 
say  that  I  am  proud  of  the  honor  conferred  upon  me  would 
scarcely  express  my  feelings,  and  I  particularly  desire  to  thank 
you,  General,  for  your  kindly  interest  in  my  behalf.  I  can 
never  forget  that  it  was  your  voice  in  the  din  of  battle  that 
rallied  our  old  Brigade  on  the  margin  of  Chickahominy  Swamp, 
where  we  had  been  swept  in  the  stampede  that  day  at  Games' 
Mill,  and  incited  me  forward  in  the  'forlorn  hope,'  that  held 
Stonewall  Jackson's  Corps  in  check  until  night,  and  thereby 
saved  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  from  complete  annihilation. 
It  was  this  rally,  and  subsequent  events,  under  your  leadership, 
General,  that  made  it  possible  for  me  to  be  so  honored  to-day. 
I  trust  I  may  have  the  opportunity  of  verbally  expressing  my 
thanks  at  the  Grand  Army  Republic  Encampment  in  Washing 
ton,  next  September. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  51 

"Presuming  it  is  your  intention,  as  President  of  the  Brigade 
Association,  to  bring  about  a  reunion  at  Washington,  in  Sep 
tember,  I  hereby  offer  my  services  as  an  assistant  in  any  work 
ing  capacity  to  which  you  may  assign  me.  As  Washington  is 
my  home,  I  am  necessarily  well  acquainted  there.  September 
is  the  Thirty-first  Anniversary  of  the  organization  of  our  Bri 
gade  at  Hall's  Hill,  Va.  I  have  thought  it  would  be  quite 
apropos  to  have  our  reunion  there  this  year.  This  is  a  sugges 
tion  which  may  have  already  occurred  to  you.  I  am  sure  ac 
commodations  and  transportation  could  be  secured  without 
much  trouble.  A  Northern  man  now  owns  the  Hill,  and  a  large 
residence  and  farm-barn  occupies  a  part  of  the  old  parade 
ground  of  the  i6th,  otherwise  there  are  but  few  changes  in  the 
old  camp  grounds.  The  pine  grove  near  your  old  headquarters 
was  there  five  years  ago,  just  as  you  left  it.  If  you  favor  this 
idea  I  presume  you  will  see  the  necessity  of  sending  circulars  to 
the  Brigade  survivors,  asking  co-operation,  etc. 

"I  can  now  hear  the  echoes  of  the  bugle  calls  for  reveille  and 
retreat,  'Dan,  Dan,  Dan  Butterfield,  Butterfield,'  as  they  sound 
ed  over  those  old  hills  in  1861.  These  echoes  will  linger  for 
ever  in  the  brain  and  heart  of  every  survivor  of  the  old  Bri 
gade.  God  bless  you,  my  old  Comrade." 

From  a  memorandum  of  his  military  services,  prepared  by 
the  General  in  compliance  with  a  request  from  the  War  De 
partment,  the  following  extract  is  taken : 

"Moved  with  General  Patterson's  army,  then  to  Bunkerhill, 
July  1 5th;  Charlestown,  July  i?th,  and  Bolivar  Heights,  near 
Harper's  Ferry,  July  2ist.  Remained  at  Harper's  Ferry  until 
August  3d  (two  weeks  beyond  the  time  of  expiration  of  serv 
ice),  and  was  with  it  mustered  out  of  service  as  Colonel,  in 
New  York  City,  August  5,  1861. 

"On  the  9th  day  of  March  the  44th  New  York  Volunteers 
moved  with  AverilFs  3d  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  in  the  advance 
movement  on  Manassas,  moving  to  Centreville,  and  during  the 
three  months'  service  the  organization  of  the  new  regiments  of 
the  regular  army  was  made,  and  I  received  the  appointment  of 


52  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Twelfth  Infantry.  I  obtained  a  fur 
lough  of  thirty  days  in  August,  1861,  in  consequence  of  the 
death  of  my  only  child.  Before  this  furlough  expired  I  re 
ceived  an  appointment  as  Brigadier-General  of  Volunteers, 
dated  September  7,  1861,  which  I  accepted.  I  was  ordered  to 
report  to  Major-General  McClellan,  and  assigned  to  the  com 
mand  of  the  3d  Brigade,  Porters  Division ;  assumed  command 
on  the  ist  of  October,  1861,  in  front  of  Washington,  near  Fort 
Corcoran.  This  Brigade  of  new  troops  consisted  of  the  83d 
Pennsylvania,  i6th  Michigan,  and  the  5Oth  New  York  Volun 
teers,  to  which  was  added,  a  few  days  afterward,  the  lyth  New 
York  Volunteers.  The  5Oth  New  York  Volunteers  being  or 
dered  to  the  Navy  Yard  for  duty  as  engineers,  the  44th  New 
York  Volunteers  was  substituted. 

"Arrived  at  Manassas  to  find  the  enemy's  works  abandoned. 
The  Brigade  followed  on  the  loth  as  far  as  Fairfax  Court 
House.  After  remaining  there  several  days,  moved  to  Alex 
andria  by  the  Little  River  turnpike.  Thence,  after  some  days' 
delay,  embarked  for  the  Peninsula,  in  steamers,  landing  at  Fort 
Monroe  and  Hampton.  Encamped  beyond  Hampton.  Soon 
after  I  made  a  reconnaissance  with  the  Brigade  to  Big  Bethel, 
drove  a  small  force  of  the  enemy  from  their  works  and  re 
turned  to  camp. 

"On  the  4th  day  of  April  moved  up  and  arrived  in  front  of 
Yorktown  on  the  5th  day  of  April,  1862.  The  Brigade  was 
held  in  reserve  during  the  demonstration  made  on  that  day  by 
Porter's  Division.  Encamped  near  Wormley's  Creek,  and  per 
formed  a  heavy  amount  of  labor  in  the  trenches  during  the 
siege.  Later,  the  enemy  made  a  sortie  from  the  works  in 
front  of  General  Hamilton's  Division  and  in  front  of  General 
Porter's  Division,  on  our  extreme  right.  The  I2th  New  York 
Volunteers,  under  Major  (now  Colonel)  H.  A.  Barnum,  com 
manding  the  picket  line,  called  up  his  reserves  of  the  Grand 
Guard  and  attacked  the  enemy  immediately,  driving  him  within 
the  works  with  the  loss  of  ten  or  twelve  men — our  loss,  two 
wounded. 

"After  the  abandonment  of  Yorktown  by  the  enemy  my  Bri- 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  53 

gade  embarked  from  that  place  on  the  6th  day  of  May,  and 
landed  at  West  Point,  moving  from  there  by  successive  marches 
to  the  vicinity  of  Games'  Mill  on  the  Chickahominy.  On  the 
2/th  of  May,  1862,  my  Brigade  moved  to  Hanover  Court 
House,  with  the  balance  of  the  ist  Division,  5th  Corps,  and 
after  a  long  march  through  mud  and  heavy  rain,  arrived  near 
Hanover  and  found  a  large  portion  of  General  Martindale's 
Brigade  engaged  with  the  enemy.  Was  ordered  to  attack  the 
enemy  in  position  on  the  road  leading  to  the  Court  House  and 
Railroad  Station,  and  then  engaged  with  a  portion  of  Martin- 
dale's  Brigade  and  Weedon's  Battery.  Moved  to  the  attack, 
broke  the  enemy's  line,  captured  one  gun  and  a  number  of 
prisoners.  Continued  to  Hanover  Court  House,  with  orders  to 
encamp  there.  On  my  arrival  the  enemy  in  force  had  attacked 
our  rear  under  Generals  Martindale  and  Morell.  I  was  or 
dered  to  return  to  their  relief.  Moved  back  at  double-quick 
with  a  portion  of  my  Brigade — the  i6th  Michigan  and  83d 
Pennsylvania — by  the  shortest  line,  to  the  sound  of  the  heaviest 
firing,  leaving  the  balance,  in  consequence  of  their  position  at 
the  time,  to  return  as  ordered  by  the  route  by  which  they  came. 
With  these  two  regiments  fell  upon  the  enemy's  flank,  com 
pelled  him  to  retire,  captured  a  large  number  of  prisoners, 
changed  front  as  he  retired,  and  closed  the  victory  gained  there 
with  the  last  volley  fired  by  the  83d  Pennsylvania  at  the  re 
treating  enemy. 

"During  the  next  day  returned  to  former  camp,  near  Games' 
Mill.  Remained  there  making  heavy  details  for  work  on 
bridges  in  Chickahominy  Swamp  until  the  26th  day  of  June." 

To  General  Porter,  who  was  directing  the  siege  of  Yorktown, 
Butterfield  makes  the  following  official  communication.  Also 
another  official  report  concerning  the  battle  of  Hanover  Court 
House : 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  BRIGADE,  PORTER'S  DIVISION,  A.  P., 

CAMP  WINFIELD  SCOTT,  VA.,  April  28,  1862. 
GENERAL — As  general  of  the  trenches  for  the  twenty-four 
hours  ending  April  28,  8  a.  m.,  I  would  respectfully  report  that 


54  GENEKAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 

I  relieved  General  Jameson  at  7  a.  m.,  27th.  I  received  from 
him  no  instructions.  General  Marcy  had  directed  me  to  see 
him,  also  to  see  General  Barnard,  Chief  of  Engineers.  From 
General  Barnard's  Adjutant,  Lieutenant  Hall,  of  the  Artillery, 
I  received  an  idea  of  the  location  of  the  works  in  progress,  but 
no  instructions  from  any  source.  I  directed  the  field  officers 
commanding  the  outposts  from  Battery  7  to  the  York  River  to 
report  to  me.  I  caused  to  be  read  to  them  all  the  portions  of 
the  confidential  circular  of  April  23d  relating  to  their  duties. 

I  issued  the  following  orders  to  the  field  officers  of  divisions 
in  charge  of  working  details  in  the  trenches : 

You  will  please  keep  a  record  of  the  work  under  your  charge, 
as  follows : 

1st. — The  detail  at  work;  number  of  men ;  regimental  officers 
in  charge;  work  upon  which  they  are  engaged,  and  manner  of 
performing  their  duty. 

2d. — Engineer  officer  detailed;  his  name;  hour  of  arrival  and 
departure ;  directions  received  from  him. 

3d. — Hours  at  which  details  commence  work  and  cease ;  hour 
of  tfieir  arrival  at  the  ground  and  departure. 

4th. — Condition  of  the  work  when  each  detail  commenced 
work;  progress  and  amount  completed  each  four  hours  after 
ward. 

5th. — Any  general  remarks  as  to  the  progress  and  condition 
of  the  work  necessary,  or  of  interest  to  the  general  command* 
ing  the  army  or  the  general  of  the  trenches. 

The  reports  under  the  4th  heading  will  be  in  the  shape  of  a 
memorandum,  and  will  be  sent  to  me  at  headquarters  at  the 
mill-dam  every  four  hours — 8,  12  and  4  a.  m.  and  p.  m.  The 
engineer  officer  in  charge  will  certify  to  the  amount  of  work 
completed,  as  mentioned  on  the  memorandum. 

The  information  required  under  article  5  will  be  sent  as  often 
as  may  be  deemed  necessary  or  important  by  you.  The  failure 
of  any  detail  to  report  for  duty  at  the  hour  ordered  or  the  ab 
sence  of  any  officer,  delaying  the  work,  will  be  immediately 
reported. 

In  no  case  were  any  reports  received  or  the  order  in  any  way 


GENEBAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD  55 

complied  with,  except  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Vincent,  com 
manding  details  working  in  trenches  from  your  division. 

The  officers  who  failed  entirely  to  comply  with  these  orders 
were  Lieutenant-Colonel  Morgan  ic>5th  (63d)  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers,  from  Hamilton's  Division ;  Major  Holt,  7oth  New 
York  Volunteers,  from  Hooker's  Division. 

The  officers  in  command  of  the  details  for  outpost  duty,  with 
the  details,  are  as  follows :  From  Porter's  Division,  Colonel 
McQuade,  I4th  New  York  Volunteers;  detail,  600  men  from 
4th  Michigan  Regiment  and  400  men  from  the  62d  Pennsyl 
vania  Regiment.  From  General  Hamilton's  Division,  Col.  O. 
M.  Poe,  Second  Michigan  Volunteers;  detail,  two  regiments, 
unknown.  From  General  Hooker's  Division,  Colonel  Cowdin, 
1st  Massachusetts  Regiment;  detail,  1st  Regiment  Mas 
sachusetts  Volunteers.  I  inclose  the  report  of  each  of  these 
officers. 

Your  attention  is  directed  to  the  report  of  Colonel  Poe,  con 
cerning  working  parties  having  been  sent  to  the  trenches  not 
in  charge  of  field  officers,  in  direct  violation  of  General 
McClellan's  orders. 

At  noon  I  discovered  500  men  from  Hooker's  Division  (250 
from  6th  New  Jersey  and  250  from  /th  New  Jersey)  were  at 
work  at  the  redoubt,  near  Battery  5,  without  a  field  officer  in 
charge,  also  in  violation  of  the  orders.  I  reported  the  same  to 
Captain  McKeever,  and  asked  him  to  direct  that  a  field  officer 
be  placed  in  charge  of  the  work.  Upon  my  arrival  on  the 
ground  at  8  o'clock  I  found  Major  Holt,  who  stated  that  he  was 
ordered  to  report  with  1,000  men  ;  that  he  had  no  tools,  and  that 
he  had  made  ineffectual  attempts  at  the  headquarters  of  General 
Heintzelman  and  General  Porter  and  other  places  to  secure 
tools.  In  reply  to  an  inquiry  at  General  Hooker's  concerning 
instructions  given  for  the  detail,  it  was  stated  that  no  other  in 
structions  were  given  than  that  Major  Holt  was  to  report  to  the 
assistant  adjutant-general  of  the  3d  Corps,  and  there  would  be 
an  engineer  officer,  under  whose  directions  he  was  to  proceed 
and  act.  I  immediately  advised  General  Williams,  and  the 
tools  were  finally  procured  at  the  engineer  depot,  General  Wood- 


56  GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

bury's  Camp.  I  think  this  delay  must  have  delayed  their  work 
at  least  four  hours. 

The  detail  ordered  from  Stockton's  Michigan  Regiment  to 
report  to  Captain  Duane  at  8  a.  m.,  reported  at  that  hour,  and 
were  ordered  by  Captain  Duane  to  remain  at  the  head  of  the 
ravine  on  the  left  of  the  parallel  across  the  Peninsula  and  await 
his  orders.  They  did  not  commence  work  until  an  hour  and  a 
half  after  their  arrival.  Five  hundred  men,  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Tileston,  of  the  nth  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  did 
not  get  to  work  until  two  hours  after  their  proper  time,  owing, 
I  think,  to  the  lack  of  thorough  understanding  of  the  hour  at 
which  they  were  to  report  and  the  exact  location  of  the  work 
upon  which  they  were  to  be  engaged.  Two  hundred  men  of 
the  I4th  New  York,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Skillen,  ordered 
to  work  on  the  mortar  battery  (which  was  commenced  yester 
day),  got  to  work  upon  the  location  originally  selected  for  this 
battery,  which  was  afterward  changed  to  a  location  to  the  left 
and  to  the  rear  of  the  deserted  huts. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Skillen  reported  to  me  shortly  after  8 
o'clock  as  follows :  That  he  had  been  at  work  since  6.30 
o'clock;  that  there  was  no  one  there  to  direct  him  what  to  do, 
and  that  he  was  fearful  of  doing  his  work  improperly.  I  im 
mediately  advised  General  Williams  of  the  fact,  asking  him  for 
the  name  of  the  engineer  in  charge.  He  replied,  Lieutenant 
McAlester.  Shortly  afterward  I  saw  Lieutenant  McAlester, 
and  learned  from  him  that  the  location  of  the  mortar  battery 
had  been  changed  by  order  of  General  Barnard,  and  that  Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  Skillen's  detail  had  been  at  work  at  the  wrong 
place.  They  worked  about  three  hours  to  no  purpose. 

The  details  at  work  upon  the  new  battery  commenced  upon 
the  Peninsula  half  way  between  Moore's  house  and  the  Dam 
were  unable  to  push  on  the  work  during  the  night,  owing  to  the 
want  of  fascines  and  wire,  which  had  not  been  sent. 

At  11.30  o'clock  a.  m.  I  received  a  full  report  from  Lieu 
tenant  Perkins,  whom  I  dispatched  at  the  left  of  the  line  to 
supervise  the  posting  of  the  guards  and  to  look  after  the  work 
in  the  trenches.  He  reported  that  there  were  500  of  the  63d 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD  57 

Pennsylvania  and  500  of  the  5th  Michigan  there  doing  nothing. 
They  had  been  trying  all  the  morning  to  find  where  they  were 
to  work.  There  was  no  engineer  there,  and  no  one  knew  what 
work  was  to  be  done.  Lieutenant  Comstock  was  supposed  to 
be  the  engineer  in  charge.  Lieutenant  Perkins  directed  them 
to  remain  there  until  they  should  receive  orders  from  myself  or 
the  engineer  in  charge.  The  detail  of  500  men  from  my  Bri 
gade,  ordered  to  report  at  6.30  p.  m.,  were  delayed  a  consid 
erable  length  of  time  in  getting  their  tools,  by  a  journey  first 
to  the  six-gun,  then  to  the  seventeen-gun  battery.  They  did 
not  finally  get  to  work  until  between  10  and  n  o'clock.  The 
cause  is  said  to  be  the  absence  of  Lieutenant  McAlester,  the  en 
gineer  in  charge.  I  am  not  informed  sufficiently  to  state  this 
as  the  positive  cause. 

The  officers  report  the  men  as  going  out  full  of  energy  and 
spirit,  determined  to  show  what  work  they  could  accomplish, 
but  before  they  got  to  work  chilled,  cold,  muddy,  and  not  much 
in  the  humor  for  it. 

These  comprise,  with  those  in  the  report  of  Colonel  Poe,  the 
principal  portion  of  the  delays  in  the  work  upon  the  trenches 
during  my  tour  of  duty. 

Considerable  complaint  was  made  from  time  to  time  against 
the  engineer  officers  in  charge  of  the  work,  that  they  were  not 
to  be  found,  and  the  absence  of  definite  instructions  as  to  where 
the  parties  were  to  report  and  what  they  were  to  do.  While 
there  may  have  been  some  ground  for  a  portion  of  this  com 
plaint  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  engineer  officers  accomplished 
all  that  the  same  number  of  officers  could  accomplish.  The  ne 
cessity  of  a  more  thorough  and  systematic  division  of  labor, 
and  of  more  assistance  to  the  engineer  officers  in  directing  the 
work  of  details,  was  very  evident.  The  inclosure,  marked  A, 
I  would  respectfully  submit  as  a  system  which  seemed  to  me 
would  be  of  more  benefit  in  securing  a  greater  amount  of  work 
and  leaving  the  engineer  officers  a  better  opportunity  of  more 
advantageously  carrying  on  the  work. 

After  reading  the  orders,  as  previously  stated,  to  the  officer 
in  charge  of  the  outposts,  I  dispatched  Captain  Hoyt  to  super- 


58  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

vise  the  posting  of  the  guards,  examine  and  report  upon  the 
work  in  the  trenches  on  that  portion  of  the  line,  from  the  se 
cession  huts  to  the  Yorktown  Road,  Lieutenant  Perkins  to  the 
same  duties  from  the  Yorktown  road  to  Battery  No.  7,  and 
gave  my  personal  attention  to  the  balance  of  the  line  on  the 
right,  not  included  in  the  above. 

At  about  9.20  a.  m.  the  enemy  opened  fire  upon  nearly  the 
whole  of  our  front  from  the  ravine  to  the  left  of  the  Peninsula 
over  to  Battery  No.  6.  Several  shells  burst  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  mill-dam  in  the  ravine  in  front.  One  burst  in 
the  seventeen-gun  battery  and  some  near  the  secession  huts. 
No  one  was  hurt. 

There  was  no  other  firing  of  any  consequence  until  the  after 
noon,  when  some  shells  exploded  near  yourself  and  General 
McClellan  and  others  who  were  passing  along  the  trenches. 

Toward  evening,  after  leaving  General  McClellan  and  your 
self,  I  found  the  detail  of  1,000  men  of  the  nth  Massachusetts, 
under  charge  of  Colonel  Tileston,  who  had  been  at  work,  wait 
ing  to  be  relieved.  They  waited  something  like  one  and  a  half 
hours,  when  word  was  received  that  no  detail  was  to  relieve 
them,  and  they  were  sent  home.  An  accurate  estimate  of  the 
number  of  hours  lost  through  the  various  causes  mentioned 
shows  the  necessity  of  a  more  thorough  system  of  organization 
of  work  in  the  trenches. 

During  the  day  Captain  Wheeler  and  Lieut.  R.  J.  Parker,  of 
the  ist  New  York  Artillery,  from  Smith's  Division,  came  to 
the  front  not  on  duty  and  without  a  pass.  They  were  ordered 
to  report  themselves  under  arrest  to  General  Andrew  Porter, 
provost-marshal,  in  accordance  with  instructions  in  confidential 
circular,  dated  April  23d. 

At  night,  finding  the  number  of  men  detailed  for  outpost 
duty  in  my  judgment  insufficient  to  properly  guard  the  works, 
I  requested  Captain  McKeever  to  send  another  regiment  to  re 
port  to  Colonel  Poe,  in  order  to  complete  the  connection  between 
the  six-gun  battery  and  the  battery  at  the  left  of  the  Yorktown 
Road.  This  regiment  was  sent,  and  the  details  were  posted 
in  accordance  with  the  verbal  instructions  received  from  vou. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  59 

The  rifle  pits  ordered  to  be  made  by  you  during  the  night  were 
all  made.  Some  shells  were  fired  by  the  gunboats  during  the 
night,  the  first  six  of  which,  using  twenty-second  fuses,  as  timed 
by  us  at  the  mill,  burst  in  and  near  the  enemy's  works ;  the  re 
mainder  fell  short,  some  of  them  exploding  over  the  right  of  the 
parallel  across  the  Peninsula  and  on  the  ground  between  the 
parallel  and  Moore's  house. 

At  8  a.  m.  this  morning  the  first  tier  of  gabions  had  been 
laid  on  the  battery  on  the  Peninsula,  the  excavations  completed 
for  the  magazine,  a  ditch  dug  to  drain  the  battery  and  the  maga 
zine,  and  the  men  were  working  leisurely  in  the  absence  of  the 
fascines  and  wire  to  carry  on  the  battery.  The  work  had  pro 
gressed  well  on  the  mortar  battery  near  the  ravine  in  the  left 
and  rear  of  the  secession  huts.  At  8  a.  m.  General  Birney, 
general  of  the  trenches  of  the  day,  had  not  arrived.  Presum 
ing  that  he  had  selected  some  other  portion  of  the  line  for  his 
headquarters,  I  returned  to  camp.  Two  regiments  of  the 
enemy  were  seen,  about  dusk,  to  break  camp,  pack  knapsacks, 
and  move  to  their  left  from  near  the  front  of  Battery  No.  7 
toward  Yorktown. 

This  report  has  been  delayed  by  the  non-arrival  of  the  reports 
of  the  field  officers  m  charge  of  details  and  the  late  arrival  of 
the  reports  of  commandants  of  outposts.  I  must  apologize  for 
the  incoherent  manner  in  which  the  report  is  made  up.  I  have 
sent  it  in  as  it  is,  feeling  it  to  be  my  positive  duty  to  make  a 
full  report  of  everything  as  speedily  as  possible,  without  regard 
to  the  manner  so  long  as  the  matter  was  all  in. 

I  hope  you  will  return  it  to  me  if  in  your  judgment  any 
thing  in  it  is  ill-advised  or  improper. 

Very  respectfully  yours,  etc., 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 
Brigadier-General,  General  of  the  Trenches,  April  27,  1862. 

BRIG.-GEN.  FITZ-JOHN  PORTER, 

Directing  Siege. 


60  GENEKAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

HEADQUARTERS,  THIRD  BRIGADE,  PORTER'S  DIVISION, 
FIFTH  PROV.  ARMY  CORPS, 

NEAR  NEW  BRIDGE,  VA.,  May  30,  1862. 

CAPTAIN — I  would  respectfully  report  that  in  compliance 
with  orders  received  at  10.30  p.  m.,  the  26th  inst,  my  Brigade 
marched  toward  Hanover  Court  House  at  about  6  a.  m.  of  the 
27th.  Our  orders  were  to  march  at  3.30  a.  m.  The  regiments 
were  up  and  in  readiness,  but  did  not  form  line  and  start,  wait 
ing  the  movement  of  the  brigade  that  was  ordered  to  precede  us. 
The  rain  was  so  severe  as  to  prevent,  the  men  from  building 
fires;  they  could  not  get  them  to  burn,  and  in  consequence 
many  started  on  the  march  without  coffee.  Our  march  to  the 
battlefield,  near  Hanover  Court  House,  was  the  most  severe  I 
have  ever  experienced.  Half  an  hour  before  the  fight  began  I 
hardly  thought  it  possible  for  my  men  to  pitch  camp  and  pre 
pare  supper,  so  much  fatigued  were  they  with  the  march  in 
mud,  rain  and  sun. 

When  the  head  of  my  column  approached  the  position  indi 
cated  as  A  on  the  map,  where  Benson's  battery  was  in  action, 
General  F.  J.  Porter  personally  indicated  to  me  the  position  he 
desired  me  to  take  with  my  Brigade,  indicating  it,  as  understood 
by  me,  in  the  direction  marked  by  the  arrow  C  on  the  accom 
panying  sketch. 

I  formed  my  Brigade  in  the  order  mentioned  below  and  as 
per  sketch  :  On  the  first  line  the  I7th  New  York,  Colonel  Lan 
sing,  on  the  right ;  83d  Pennsylvania,  Colonel  McLane,  on  the 
left,  with  skirmishers  in  front.  The  second  line,  I2th  New 
York,  Colonel  Weeks,  in  rear  of  the  right;  i6th  Michigan, 
Colonel  Stockton,  in  rear  of  the  left. 

Having  personally  surveyed  the  field,  as  well  as  having  sent 
out  some  of  my  personal  staff,  I  determined  to  change  the  posi 
tion  for  attack  very  slightly  from  that  indicated  by  General 
Porter,  for  the  purpose  of  covering  my  approach  to  the  enemy. 
I  directed  the  command  to  move  through  the  woods  in  the  order 
indicated  above  and  halt  at  the  point  on  the  edge  of  the  woods 
indicated  by  the  fence  marked  *  *  *  I  then  ascended  a 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  61 

small  tree,  where,  I  was  informed  by  Major  Bartram,  of  the 
1 7th,  I  could  discover  correctly  the  whole  position  of  affairs 
and  act  accordingly.  Doing  so,  I  found  the  enemy  drawn  up 
in  line  near  the  house  and  orchard  (afterward  used  for  general 
hospital  and  headquarters  of  General  Porter),  with  a  section  of 
a  battery  in  action,  supported  by  the  38th  North  Carolina  Regi 
ment.  I  since  learned  from  prisoners  that  this  regiment  was 
about  1,300  strong. 

To  my  right  and  rear  was  Benson's  Battery,  and  I  think  a 
section  of  Weeden's  (the  cavalry  in  rear),  replying  to  the  fire 
of  the  enemy's  guns.  A  portion  of  the  25th  New  York  and  a 
few  of  Berdan's  Sharpshooters  were  in  the  positions  indicated 
on  the  sketch.  I  determined  to  attack  vigorously,  and  at  once 
ordered  the  command  forward  in  the  order  heretofore  men 
tioned.  The  regiments,  though  much  reduced  in  numbers  by 
the  march,  the  guards  left  in  camp  and  with  the  wagons,  moved 
up  in  the  most  admirable  order,  with  all  the  precision  of  dress 
parade — skirmishers'  firing  gradually  accelerating  their  pace. 
They  charged  the  enemy  and  drove  him  back,  capturing  one 
of  his  cannon,  with  caisson  and  ammunition  complete,  except 
the  horses.  We  pursued  rapidly  and  captured  many  prisoners. 
The  enemy  were  completely  routed. 

After  getting  a  long  distance  in  advance  of  our  first  position 
I  was  informed  by  a  prisoner  that  eight  regiments  of  the  enemy 
had  gone  to  our  right  and  rear.  I  deemed  this  of  sufficient 
importance  to  halt  from  the  pursuit  and  await  support  on  my 
right,  or  further  orders.  I  did  so,  and  threw  out  skirmishers 
on  my  right  and  left  flank.  I  immediately  advised  General 
Porter  of  the  circumstances.  General  Porter  and  General 
Morell  came  on  the  ground  afterward,  bringing  up  the  bat 
teries  and  cavalry  on  my  right.  General  Porter  shortly  after 
ward  directed  me  to  push  on  to  Hanover  Court  House  and 
Railroad  Station,  which  was  done  most  rapidly  considering  the 
fatigued  condition  of  the  men,  in  order  of  battle  as  before,  ex 
cept  that  the  i6th  Michigan  (Colonel  Stockton)  led  the  left 
across  the  railroad  bridge,  and  the  83d  Pennsylvania  the  right, 
by  the  ravine  and  road,  and  all  moved  across  the  Machumps 


62  GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Creek  by  the  flank.  I  had  ordered  arms  stacked  with  two  regi 
ments,  and  had  sent  an  aide  for  the  others  to  come  in  the  field 
between  the  Station  and  Court  House,  when  an  order  came 
from  General  Porter  to  move  my  command  back  to  the  rear  to 
support  Martindale,  who  had  been  attacked  from  the  rear. 

As  soon  as  possible  I  made  my  dispositions  to  return,  order 
ing  the  1 2th  and  I7th  New  York  to  return  by  the  road,  and 
taking  the  83d  Pennsylvania  and  Stockton's  i6th  Michigan 
back  by  the  railroad,  with  a  view  to  flank  the  enemy  and  sup 
port  General  Martindale  in  whatever  position  I  might  find  him. 
1  could  only  judge  of  the  location  by  the  report  of  musketry, 
the  dense  woods  hiding  from  sight  any  indications  or  points  of 
position.  As  we  approached  the  woods  near  the  railroad  the 
cheers  of  the  enemy,  with  their  unceasing  volleys  of  musketry, 
led  me  to  believe  that  they  were  gaining  an  advantage.  I  called 
upon  my  men  to  forward  at  double-quick  and  cheer.  They 
responded  with  a  will,  cheering  lustily.  Our  cheers  were  evi 
dently  heard  by  the  enemy,  for  they  slackened  their  fire  appar 
ently,  and  as  we  subsequently  learned,  withdrew,  whether  to 
avoid  being  flanked  or  driven  back  from  the  front  I  am  unable 
to  say. 

We  pushed  into  the  woods  and  came  up  on  their  flank,  cap 
turing  many  prisoners,  in  fact,  encumbered  ourselves  with  them, 
and  found  that  we  were  in  front  of  the  9th  Massachusetts,  our 
line  perpendicular  to  theirs.  We  pushed  on  and  came  out  on 
the  road  where  Griffin's  Battery  was  just  preparing  to  open 
fire  (point  marked  H  on  the  sketch).  I  was  unable  to  get  my 
horse  across  the  ditch  and  fence  on  the  roadside;  crossed  on 
foot,  borrowed  a  horse  from  some  one,  and  pushed  the  83d  for 
ward  to  press  the  enemy.  Asked  Lieutenant  Kingsbury  to 
push  forward  a  portion  of  his  battery,  which  was  done,  to  the 
position  marked  K,  supported  by  the  83d  Regiment. 

Shortly  afterward  General  Morell  came  up  to  the  front  in 
person.  From  him  I  obtained  permission  to  push  in  the  5th 
New  York  Zouaves,  with  a  view  to  press  and  rout  the  enemy  as 
completely  as  possible,  and  to  bring  up  more  troops.  Every 
thing  was  going  on  handsomely  in  front.  My  only  desire  now 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  G3 

was  to  push  forward  troops  enough  to  utterly  rout  the  enemy 
and  capture  all  the  prisoners  possible.  I  went  back  to  get  up 
more  men — the  enemy's  fire  slackened,  the  sun  went  down,  and 
the  day  was  ours. 

By  General  Porter's  orders  we  camped  on  the  battlefield.  I 
inclose  the  reports  of  Colonel  Lansing,  i7th  New  York  Volun 
teers  ;  Colonel  McLane,  83d  Pennsylvania  Volunteers ;  Colonel 
Stryker,  44th  New  York  Volunteers.  I  have  mislaid  Colonel 
Stockton's,  i6th  Michigan,  but  will  send  it  as  soon  as  found. 

I  had  neglected  to  mention  that  the  44th  were  detached  by 
General  Morell  on  the  march  at  the  crossroads,  three  miles 
from  the  scene  of  the  engagement,  and  I  saw  nothing  of  them 
until  after  the  fight.  They  were  under  General  Martindale 
while  in  action. 

I  would  call  attention  to  Colonel  McLane's  report  as  show 
ing  the  position  of  affairs  at  the  close  of  the  fight  and  the  turn 
ing  point  of  the  second  engagement. 

Where  all  the  regiments  did  so  well  it  is  improper  to  dis 
criminate.  The  splendid  bearing,  under  their  baptismal  fire, 
of  the  83d  Pennsylvania  and  I7th  New  York  was  worthy  of 
the  highest  praise.  The  83d  was  in  both  fights,  and  behaved 
like  veterans  in  the  last,  as  in  the  first. 

The  instances  of  individual  gallantry  were  numerous.  Major 
Von  Vegesack,  of  my  staff,  was  inside  the  enemy's  line  of  skir 
mishers  while  making  a  reconnaissance  to  get  information  for 
me ;  was  fired  at  six  times,  and  narrowly  escaped  with  his  life. 
To  him,  as  to  Captain  Hoyt,  Lieutenant  Livingstone,  and  Act 
ing  Lieutenant  E.  M.  Fisher,  I  was  particularly  indebted  for 
valuable  and  efficient  aid  in  the  field  of  battle.  Quartermaster 
C.  B.  Norton  was  with  me  during  the  warmest  portion  of  the 
engagement,  and  was  of  great  service  to  me,  behaving  with 
gallantry.  Lieutenant  Seymour,  of  General  Morell's  staff,  also 
aided  me  at  one  time  in  an  important  matter. 

We  turned  over  to  the  guard,  from  all  the  regiments,  about 
225  prisoners.  Captured  160  stand  of  arms,  which  were  for 
warded  to  Colonel  Kingsbury,  of  the  Ordnance  Department; 
one  i2-pounder  howitzer,  now  in  possession  of  the  i/th  New 


64  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

York  Regiment ;  one  Union  Defense  Committee  Wagon,  now  in 
possession  of  my  Brigade  Quartermaster  (this  wagon  was 
probably  taken  from  our  forces  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run)  ; 
a  hospital  wagon  with  stores,  which  was  turned  over  to  Capt. 
Charles  B.  Norton. 

I  desire  to  call  attention  to  the  praiseworthy  behavior  of 
Lieutenant  Burleigh,  of  the  I7th  New  York,  who,  with  some 
of  his  men,  sent  out  in  the  first  fight  as  skirmishers,  did  not 
return  by  the  route  to  join  their  regiment,  but  joined  the  83d 
and  fought  well. 

The  list  of  killed,  wounded,  and  missing  in  my  Brigade  is 
attached  hereto  in  schedule,  marked  A.  I  regret  to  add  that 
Lieut.  Henry  W.  Perkins,  aide-de-camp  on  my  staff,  was  taken 
prisoner.  He  was  left  behind  on  account  of  having  been  sick 
with  fever  for  ten  days;  but  anxious  to  be  present  at  the  bat 
tle,  rode  up  in  an  ambulance,  and  was  resting  in  the  hospital  at 
the  time  it  was  attacked.  He  was  taken  by  the  enemy,  though 
too  weak  to  sit  on  a  horse. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  yours,  etc., 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 

Brig.-Gen.,  Commanding  Third  Brigade,  Porter's  Division. 

CAPT.  R.  T.  AUCHMUTY,  Assistant  Adjt.-Gen. 

P.  S. — I  desire  to  call  attention  to  the  names  of  the  officers 
mentioned  in  the  reports  of  the  regimental  commanders,  par 
ticularly  those  of  the  44th  New  York  Volunteers. 

There  were  nineteen  of  the  enemy's  dead  buried  by  my  com 
mand.  We  could  not  bury  those  we  killed  in  action,  owing  to 
the  lack  of  tools.  The  few  we  did  bury  we  had  to  borrow  tools. 

Another  graphic  account  of  the  engagement,  written  by  an 
army  correspondent  of  the  "Commercial  Advertiser,"  appeared 
in  that  New  York  paper,  accompanied  by  the  following  editorial 
paragraph : 

"We  perceive  that  in  the  recent  brilliant  and  successful 
action  at  Hanover  Court  House,  General  Butterfield,  of  this  city, 
was  at  the  head  of  his  Brigade,  and  in  the  thickest  of  the  dan 
ger.  General  Butterfield  is  a  resident  in  one  of  the  upper 


GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  G5 

wards,  and  was  long  favorably  known  as  the  Colonel  of  one  of 
our  best  city  regiments.  He  was  among  the  first  in  the  field, 
and  noted  for  his  activity,  discipline  and  readiness  to  meet  the 
enemy.  When  serving  under  the  reluctant  Patterson,  he  volun 
teered  to  proceed  toward  Manassas  with  his  single  Brigade; 
and  now  that  a  good  opportunity  presented  itself  for  action,  he 
has  shown  himself  ready.  He  is  the  son  of  Mr.  John  Butter- 
field,  of  the  American  Express  and  Overland  Mail  Companies, 
and  was  himself  superintendent  of  the  former  for  several  years. 
In  this  school  he  mastered  the  art  and  the  difficulties  of  trans 
portation,  managing  combinations  of  men,  and  acquiring  busi 
ness-like  celerity  and  promptness,  which,  in  his  later  field  of 
occupation,  he  has  turned  to  the  best  account." 

BUTTERFIELD'S   BRIGADE,   PORTER'S  DIVISION, 

FIFTH  PROVISIONAL  ARMY  CORPS, 
CAMP  NEAR  HANOVER  CT.  HOUSE,  VA.,  May  29. 

Fort  Donelson,  Pittsburg  Landing,  Williamsburg,  Hanover 
and  Fair  Oaks  illustrate  in  this  war,  what  is  a  remarkable  fact  in 
the  campaigns  of  both  classic  and  modern  times,  that  the  most 
drenching  storms  and  the  deepest  mud  have  not  been  able  to 
deter  energetic  commanders  and  vigorous  troops  from  making 
long  marches  or  fighting  hard  battles. 

The  old  division  of  Gen.  Fitz-John  Porter,  now  commanded 
by  its  ranking  general,  Brigadier-General  Morell,  received,  on 
the  night  of  the  26th  inst.,  orders  to  move  on  the  following 
morning  equipped  for  fight.  Five  o'clock  was  the  hour  ap 
pointed  for  starting.  At  three  the  officers  of  the  different 
guards  roused  the  men  to  find  the  rain  falling  rapidly,  their 
tents  overflowing  and  pools  of  muddy  water  where  their  kitchen 
fires  had  been  the  night  before.  The  storm  kept  increasing, 
and  many  an  officer  and  man  hoped  that  before  daylight  a 
countermand  would  come.  The  kindest  persuasion  could  not 
induce  a  fire  to  burn — "fall  in"  was  heard,  for  so  near  the 
enemy  we  no  longer  use  the  bugle  for  the  "General  Assembly" 
and  "Color" — and  our  stout  fellows,  cut  short  of  their  morning 
cup  of  coffee,  seized  their  arms,  and  the  long,  dark,  regimental 


66  GEKEBAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 

lines  began  to  appear  over  the  camp  grounds  at  the  first  dawn 
of  day.  An  hour  passed,  and  still  no  order  and  no  counter 
mand.  Yet  another — and  an  orderly  came  galloping  to  our 
tent.  We  were  sure  the  march  for  that  day  had  been  given  up. 
"You  will  start  with  your  command  at  once — the  head  of  the 
column  is  moving.  T.  J.  Hoyt,  A.  A.  G."  Out  we  went,  no 
body  knew  whither.  'Twas  enough  we  were  going  somewhere. 

Headed  by  the  General  and  his  Staff,  the  Brigade  filed  into 
its  place  and  the  dreary  march  commenced.  Men  were  dainty 
at  first  where  they  planted  their  feet,  but  in  half  an  hour  puddles 
to  the  knee  and  mud  that  was  shallower  were  sounded  alike 
with  indifference.  At  each  small  stream  as  we  passed  through 
the  low,  swampy  wood,  you  could  hear  the  question  and  reply 
along  the  ranks,  "This  the  Chickahominy,  boys?"  "Yes,  here's 
New  Bridge!"  "Big  river,  this !"  "Let's  jump  it !"  but  after 
a  ten-mile  march  it  became  evident  we  were  not  going  to  Rich 
mond  at  least  by  New  Bridge. 

The  morning  wore  away  and  at  noon  the  storm  had  departed 
with  it.  We  were  now  some  12  miles  from  camp  in  a  direction 
about  northwesterly.  The  order  of  advance  at  a  crossroads 
here  was  changed  a  little.  The  I7th  New  York  had  led  our 
Brigade,  followed  by  Griffin's  Battery,  then  the  44th  New  York, 
83d  Pennsylvania,  I2th  New  York  and  i6th  Michigan.  Here 
the  44th  New  York  was  detached,  with  two  pieces  of  Martin's 
5th  Massachusetts  Battery,  to  guard  against  any  attempt  of  the 
enemy  to  interfere  with  our  rear.  The  regiments  closed  up, 
took  the  right-hand  road,  and  forward  we  went  for  some  three 
miles  more.  Sharp  volleys  of  musketry  were  now  heard,  and 
then  the  heavy  thunder  of  the  larger  guns.  Evidently  the 
enemy  had  been  found.  The  25th  New  York,  Colonel  Johnson, 
was  in  advance  of  the  division.  The  rebels  had  chosen  an 
open  space  of  large  extent  flanked  with  woods,  several  hundred 
yards  to  the  right  and  left  of  an  orchard  and  dwelling  house 
(Dr.  Kinney's),  near  the  center,  where  they  had  planted  two 
guns,  supported  by  a  regiment  of  infantry.  Colonel  Johnson's 
attack  upon  this  position  was  brave  and  impetuous,  but  the  su 
perior  numbers  of  the  enemy  in  the  field  and  in  the  woods  on 


GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  67 

his  right  compelled  him  to  withdraw  with  severe  loss.  The 
artillery  had  opened  briskly  and  the  head  of  this  brigade — of 
which  I  wish  particularly  to  speak,  because  I  know  whereof  I 
affirm — made  its  appearance. 

Stripping  off  their  wet  blankets  and  tents,  forward  went  the 
1 7th  New  York  and  83d  Pennsylvania  in  line  of  battle,  led  by 
their  gallant  General,  and  followed  in  column  of  division  by 
the  I2th  New  York  and  i6th  Michigan.  This  movement  was 
for  the  enemy's  flank  as  well  as  front ;  to  gain  this,  therefore, 
the  woods  to  his  right  were  taken  and  skirmishers  thrown 
ahead.  A  slight  reconnaissance  revealed  his  position.  The 
word  came  from  General  Butterfield  to  advance,  and  forward 
out  of  those  woods  came  the  I7th  New  York  and  83d  Penn 
sylvania,  in  line,  as  compact  and  steady  as  in  the  many  dress 
parades  they  have  made  side  by  side.  The  skirmishers  opened 
their  fire  and  down  bore  the  regiments  upon  the  enemy,  with 
the  old  Stars  and  Stripes  flying  high.  No  rebels  could  with 
stand  this.  The  supports  broke  and  fled,  the  gunners  emulated 
their  haste,  and  a  12-pound  howitzer,  of  Captain  Eatham's  Bat 
tery,  abandoned  in  their  flight,  now  attests  the  discipline  and 
courage  of  the  Third  Brigade. 

The  prisoners  whom  we  took  at  this  point  were  of  the  28th 
North  Carolina  Regiment,  clad  in  the  homespun  "Confederate 
Gray,"  and  of  an  intelligence  and  manner  far  inferior  to  the 
same  class  of  society  at  the  North.  There  was  none  of  the 
savage  and  brutal  appearance  about  them,  attributed  to  rebels 
of  the  Gulf  States. 

The  enemy  had  fled  and  disappeared  in  the  woods ;  a  mo 
mentary  halt,  and  three  rousing  cheers  from  the  regiments,  as 
General  Butterfield  rode  along  the  line,  and  thanked  us  for  this 
spirited  conduct,  and  forward  we  went  again.  The  enemy's 
plan,  as  disclosed  to  us  soon,  and  afterward  corroborated  by  a 
captured  officer,  was  to  lead  the  main  body  of  our  troops  onward 
after  the  28th  North  Carolina,  if  it  escaped,  while  the  rest  of 
their  forces  lying  concealed  in  the  woods  should,  after  our  ad 
vance,  come  upon  our  rear,  place  us  between  two  fires,  and 
make  us  an  easy  prey.  As  the  sequel  showed,  their  bag  was 


68  GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 

well  made,  but  the  material  was  hardly  strong  enough  for  such 
troops  as  Fitz-John  Porter's. 

Closely  pressing  the  enemy  and  capturing  some  thirty  pris 
oners,  among  them  a  captain  and  half  his  company,  the  83d 
Pennsylvania  hurried  up  the  road  in  the  direction  of  Hanover 
Court  House.  There  General  Butterfield  received  intelligence 
from  General  Porter  that  the  enemy  \vas  in  our  rear,  and  to 
return  at  once.  Now  commenced  the  marching  such  as  no 
troops  under  the  sun  could  have  endured,  except  those  who  had 
been  subjected  to  their  five  months'  severe  drill  on  the  banks  of 
the  Potomac. 

Meantime,  the  44th  New  York,  when  the  enemy  made  his 
appearance  a  second  time  for  the  purpose,  had  been  ordered  up 
with  a  section  of  Martin's  Battery,  and  soon  found  itself  sub 
jected  to  a  crossfire  from  a  much  superior  force.  Clearly  the 
enemy  thought  his  work  easy. 

A  fragment  of  the  25th  New  York,  the  2d  Maine  and  the 
44th  New  York,  lying  in  the  open  road,  were  exposed  to  the 
galling  fire  of  an  enemy  concealed  and  protected  by  a  close 
fence  in  the  woods,  not  two  hundred  yards  distant,  and  yet 
here  they  lay,  receiving  and  returning  volley  after  volley,  until 
many  had  expended  their  sixty  rounds  of  cartridges,  and  were 
obliged  to  borrow  of  the  dead.  So  near  were  the  2d  Maine 
and  the  enemy  at  one  time,  that  the  men  on  both  sides  actually 
thrust  their  guns  through  the  same  fence,  which  here  made 
nearly  a  right  angle,  and  fired  on  each  other.  The  conduct  of 
the  44th  was  gallant  in  the  extreme.  Four  times  was  their 
flag  struck  by  a  bullet  to  the  ground,  and  raised  again  by  an 
intrepid  hand.  When  the  name  of  one  of  these  brave  fellows 
was  asked  by  the  Lieutenant-Colonel,  then  in  command  through 
the  absence  of  the  Colonel,  in  consultation  with  General  Martin- 
dale,  he  gave  it,  and  remarked,  "As  long  as  I  live,  sir,  you 
shall  never  see  that  flag  in  the  dust !"  In  the  fiercest  of  the 
fight,  when  it  seemed  necessary  to  make  a  charge  to  keep  the 
enemy  off,  a  captain  replied  to  the  question  of  the  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  "How  many  men  can  you  muster  to  follow  you  in  a 
charge?"  "Every  man,  sir,  will  follow,  save  the  dead!"  By 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  69 

a  strange  coincidence  the  flag  of  the  44th  was  pierced  with 
just  forty-four  bullets.  The  horse  of  the  Lieutenant-Colonel 
was  killed,  the  Major  wounded,  and  the  arm  of  the  Adjutant 
shattered  while  his  blade  was  waving.  For  more  than  an  hour 
consecrated  by  bravery  like  this,  that  mere  handful  of  men  held 
the  enemy  in  check.  At  length  the  sound  of  distant  cheers  was 
heard.  It  was  the  Third  Brigade  hastening  to  their  relief. 

In  line  of  battle,  i6th  Michigan  on  the  left  and  83d  Pennsyl 
vania  on  the  right,  they  were  pressing  through  the  ploughed 
fields,  straight  for  the  heaviest  fire.  Up  rode  General  Butter- 
field,  whose  uncovered  head  at  this  moment  struck  you  as  more 
than  ordinarily  like  Napoleon's.  "Ah!  here  comes  the  little 
General,"  says  one.  "Now  for  the  double  quick."  "Yes,  my 
boys,  now  you  see  the  use  of  double-quick."  "Oh,  yes;  oh, 
yes."  "Well,  then,  three  rousing  cheers  to  encourage  our  brave 
fellows  yonder."  The  effect  was  electric.  Those  men  who 
had  already  marched  eighteen  miles  through  drenching  rain 
and  bottomless  roads,  and  chased  the  enemy  two  miles  more, 
took  up  the  double-quick,  caught  the  General's  cheer,  and  sent 
it  increased  manifold  through  the  ranks  of  the  enemy,  to  glad 
den  the  hearts  of  our  friends.  As  a  prisoner  stated  to  us  after 
ward,  these  cheers  told  the  enemy  his  game  was  lost.  His  fire 
slackened  perceptibly,  and  on  went  the  regiments  into  the 
woods.  The  marks  of  a  terrible  battle  were  all  around  us. 
Dead  and  dying  were  at  the  foot  of  every  tree ;  the  trees  them 
selves  splintered  and  torn  by  the  bullets  were  as  mangled  as  the 
bodies  beneath  them.  The  sulphurous  smoke  made  the  air 
strangely  blue.  Here  we  captured  from  the  enemy,  falling 
back,  more  prisoners  than  we  dared  detach  men  to  guard.  One 
poor  fellow  jumped  from  the  ground,  evidently  to  deliver  him 
self  up,  but  unfortunately  brought  his  piece  too  near  horizontal 
line — one  of  our  skirmishers  dropped  on  his  knees  and  fired. 
The  rebel  whirled  completely  round,  pierced  through  both  sides. 
Two  others  came  forward  displaying  a  dirty  handkerchief — once 
white — bearing  between  them  a  small,  pale-faced  fellow — a 
mere  boy — badly  wounded,  and  asked  us  to  spare  their  lives. 

"We've  been  forced  into  this ;  we're  conscripts,"  they  cried. 


70  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

Their  piteous  begging  showed  how  fully  their  unprincipled 
leaders  had  deceived  them  with  the  idea  that  they  were  to  be 
murdered  at  once.  They,  like  the  others,  were  sent  to  the 
rear.  Here  we  found  from  the  prisoners  that  two  regiments 
of  the  enemy  were  just  to  the  right  of  us,  in  line  of  battle 
at  right  angles  to  our  own.  Here  we  flung  out  our  right  skir 
misher  with  his  company — a  burly  captain,  whose  weight  be 
fore  the  war  was  always  a  good  three  hundred,  but  now  re 
duced  by  hard  marching  and  harder  eating  to  the  size  of  com 
mon  men — up  the  railroad  track,  to  feel  the  enemy  there.  He 
soon  found  them  and  received  their  introductory  volley,  return 
ing  the  salutation.  He  turned  to  see  where  his  supports  were, 
and  discovered  General  Butterfield  close  behind  him.  "They 
are  here  in  large  force,"  said  he  to  the  General.  "Pitch  into 
them  all  you  know  how,"  was  the  prompt  response.  "Aye, 
aye,  sir,"  and  away  went  the  captain  at  the  double-quick.  The 
boldness  of  the  flank  attack  surprised  the  enemy,  and  he  fell 
back.  Pressing  through  the  woods,  the  83d  Pennsylvania  came 
out  just  in  front  of  the  enemy,  as  two  sections  of  Griffin's  Bat 
tery  were  unlimbering.  Here  again  General  Butterfield  ap 
peared,  and  calling  for  a  horse,  shouted,  "Where  is  Stockton? 
Give  me  a  horse,  and  Stockton,  too,  and  the  day  is  ours  !"  and  at 
once  ordered  the  83d  Pennsylvania  forward  through  the  bat 
tery  to  engage  the  enemy,  now  in  the  open  field.  The  enemy 
was  wavering,  but  this  demonstration  decided  him  at  once ;  his 
face  was  turned  and  we  followed.  Just  as  the  83d  was  crossing 
the  railroad — excavated  some  ten  feet  in  the  field  here — and 
mounting  the  opposite  bank,  the  enemy  opened  upon  them  a  ter 
rible  fire.  Nothing  but  the  protection  offered  by  the  bank,  and 
the  position  of  the  men,  as  they  lay  and  sat  firing,  saved  them 
in  this  fifteen  minutes  from  severe  loss. 

Here  an  incident  occurred  not  to  be  soon  forgotten.  A  ser 
geant,  who  had  but  just  rejoined  his  regiment  after  a  two 
months'  sickness,  had  managed,  after  great  exertion,  to  keep 
in  his  place  through  the  trying  march,  but  now  was  almost  ex 
hausted.  An  officer  stopped  to  encourage  him.  "A  few  min 
utes  more,  Sergeant,  and  we  shall  be  on  them."  "Yes,  I'll  be 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  71 

with  you,"  said  he,  pulling  out  a  miniature  of  his  wife  and  two 
children ;  "that  is  what  I  have  to  fight  for."  The  next  instant 
a  ball,  shattering  his  leg,  had  borne  him  to  the  ground. 

Advancing  now  in  compact  line,  and  firing  as  they  went,  the 
83d  Pennsylvania  and  pth  Massachusetts  drove  the  enemy  some 
five  hundred  yards  through  the  open  field.  No  retreat  could 
have  been  more  handsomely  made  than  was  his.  He  retreated 
a  short  distance,  came  to  the  right  about,  and  with  colors  steady 
delivered  his  volley,  and  again  retreated.  His  pursuers  were 
gaining  on  him,  however,  and  others  following  fast  after  their 
steps,  when  near  the  edge  of  the  woods  his  line  gave  way,  and 
he  fled  in  confusion.  The  enemy  began  his  retreat  in  the  morn 
ing  under  the  fire  of  this  Brigade,  and  our  bullets  in  the  evening 
closed  the  success  of  the  day.  Darkness  had  now  come,  and 
gathering  up  the  honored  dead  and  the  sufferers  who  yet  lived, 
we  sent  them  to  the  hospital  and  returned  to  bivouac  on  the 
field. 

The  next  morning  Butterfield's  Brigade  turned  in  to  the 
guard  over  two  hundred  and  fifty  prisoners,  two  hundred  stand 
of  small  arms,  wagons,  tents,  cannon,  etc. — among  the  prison 
ers  a  major,  six  or  eight  captains,  a  batch  of  lieutenants — and 
were  ready  for  another  fight,  with  one  regiment  on  the  march 
toward  the  South  Anna,  to  accomplish  what  I  had  forgotten 
to  state  was  the  object  of  our  expedition,  namely,  the  cutting 
the  enemy's  lines  of  communication  with  the  forces  in  front  of 
Banks  and  McDowell. 

There  were  many  noteworthy  incidents  of  the  day  that  have 
not  made  part  of  my  description.  A  ball  struck  at  the  foot 
of  General  Porter's  horse.  "Did  you  see  that?"  asked  an  aid. 
"I  see  that  Butterfield  is  driving  them  handsomely,"  was  the 
quiet  reply.  An  Irishman,  of  the  I7th  New  York,  came  up  to 
the  General,  tugging  under  a  load  of  three  guns  on  one  shoul 
der,  his  own  at  a  trail  in  the  other  hand,  driving  three  prisoners 
in  gray  before  him.  "Sure,  Gineral,  and  I  have  three  of 
them;  what'll  I  do  wid  'em?" 

General  McClellan  came  up  the  next  morning  and  was  most 
enthusiastically  received  by  the  men.  He  grasped  General  Por- 


72  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEBFIELD 

ter  by  the  hand  most  cordially,  and  congratulated  him.  Turn 
ing  to  General  Butterfield,  who  was  near,  he  put  one  hand  on 
his  shoulder  and  said  some  words  that  we  on  the  outside  could 
not  hear.  That  they  were  well-merited  compliments  for  brave 
and  gallant  deeds,  the  faces  of  both  showed  most  plainly.  Our 
Brigade  was  satisfied  and  confident  that,  under  fire,  as  well 
as  elsewhere,  we  have  the  right  man  in  the  right  place. 

From  Gen.  Fitz-John  Porter's  report  of  the  battle,  the  ac 
companying  extracts  are  taken,  commending  the  conduct  of 
General  Butterfield  and  his  Brigade: 

"A  portion  of  Butterfield's  Brigade,  under  his  immediate  di 
rection,  hearing  the  sound  of  musketry,  had  taken  the  shortest 
route  from  the  advanced  point  it  had  reached,  and  also  moved 
toward  the  rear  of  the  enemy." 

"I  have  further  to  express  the  highest  satisfaction  at  the  ad 
mirable  manner  in  which  the  troops  were  handled  in  action  by 
their  division  and  brigade  commanders — General  Morell,  com 
manding  division,  and  his  Brigadiers,  Generals  Martin  and  But 
terfield,  and  Colonel  McQuade." 

"General  Butterfield  soon  coming  up  formed  his  regiments 
and  moved  them  in  two  lines,  under  the  protection  of  the  woods 
and  wheat-fields  immediately  in  front  of  the  enemy,  where  he 
placed  them  until  he  could  ascertain  the  position  of  the  enemy ; 
this  done,  he  moved  rapidly  to  the  front,  covered  by  skirmishers, 
driving  the  enemy  before  him  and  capturing  one  piece  of  ar 
tillery  and  many  prisoners." 

A  few  months  after  the  battle  of  Hanover  Court  House,  the 
field  officers  of  Butterfield's  Brigade  presented  their  former 
commander  with  a  pair  of  gold  spurs,  as  a  token  of  their  es 
teem  and  regard.  The  material  of  the  spurs  is  solid  silver, 
heavily  gilt.  On  the  band  is  a  richly  chased  laurel  wreath, 
which  runs  along  to  the  juncture  of  the  neck,  where  it  is  caught 
in  a  dragon's  head,  elaborately  carved.  The  junction  of  the 
neck  and  band  is  made  to  represent  eagle  wings.  The  rowel  is 
set  in  the  dragon's  mouth.  The  straps  are  handsomely  stitched, 


GEXEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTEKFIELD  73 

the  buckles  being  of  solid  silver.  The  inside  of  the  spur  is 
beautifully  burnished,  and  has  an  engraved  inscription,  reading 
as  follows : 

"To  GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD:  Presented  by  the 
Field  Officers  of  the  Third  Light  Brigade,  Porter's  Division, 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  for  our  admiration  of  your  brilliant 
generalship  on  the  field  at  Hanover  Court  House,  May  27, 
1862." 

On  the  occasion  of  the  presentation  address,  made  by  Col. 
Strong  Vincent,  subsequently  killed  at  Gettysburg,  the  gallant 
young  soldier  in  reply  spoke  as  follows : 

"COLONEL  AND  GENTLEMEN  : 

"The  honor  you  would  confer  upon  me  I  am  almost  afraid 
to  receive.  When  I  look  around  me  and  see  the  brave  men  who 
have  made  an  imperishable  record  of  gallantry  and  courage, 
before  Yorktown,  on  the  fields  of  Hanover,  Chickahominy, 
Turkey  Bend,  Malvern  and  Grafton,  I  fear  that  you  award  me 
too  much  credit.  It  is  to  you,  gentlemen,  your  unceasing  ener 
gies  and  exertion  for  the  discipline  and  welfare  of  your  men, 
to  your  readiness  to  second  every  endeavor  to  improve  the  com 
mand,  to  your  unvarying  devotion  to  duty.  To  your  men,  their 
implicit  obedience,  even  when  the  orders  of  superiors  seemed  to 
carry  them  into  the  jaws  of  death,  it  is  to  this  true  spirit  of  the 
soldier,  founded  upon,  inspirited  by  and  devoted  to,  a  holy, 
glorious  and  noble  cause ;  it  is  to  all  these  that  you  owe  the  last 
ing  honor  which  your  Brigade  has  gained  for  itself. 

"I  should  be  more  than  selfish  and  ungrateful  did  I  receive 
this  token  of  regard  for  your  commander,  as  an  evidence  that  I 
have  accomplished  these  results. 

"I  can  but  think  of  the  heroes  buried  at  Hanover,  where  the 
skill  and  bravery  of  the  Brigade,  united  with  the  same  skill  and 
spirit  in  the  First  and  Second  Brigades  of  your  Division,  ac 
complished  such  a  success  for  our  arms — and  of  the  heroes  who 
fell  at  Games'  Mill — ten  thousand  times  covered  with  honor, 
that  they  stood  bravely  the  long  contest  against  superior  num 
bers,  surrounded  by  the  enemy,  never  yielding,  defying  the 


74  GENEEAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

summons  to  surrender,  never  retiring  until  ordered  to  with 
draw. 

"At  Malvern  Hill  the  gallant  response  to  the  bugle  signal 
for  'the  charge'  by  the  Eighty-third  Pennsylvania  and  Forty- 
fourth  New  York;  the  stolid  bravery  and  courage  of  tht 
Twelfth  New  York  and  Sixteenth  Michigan,  crowned  with  vic 
tory;  the  splendid  advance  of  the  Brigade,  led  by  the  Seven 
teenth  and  Forty-fourth  New  York,  into  the  jaws  of  death  at 
Yorktovvn,  on  the  3Oth  of  August,  under  the  orders  from  your 
superiors  to  push  forward  the  attack  with  vigor — only  equaled 
by  the  similar  scene  in  the  First  Brigade,  side  by  side  with 
you,  with  the  Eighteenth  Massachusetts  leading.  There  shrap 
nel,  grape  and  canister  mowed  down  whole  platoons,  only  to 
find  brave  and  eager  hearts  rush  forward,  fill  up  the  gaps  and 
press  on — where  out  of  seventy,  forty-three  of  your  officers 
were  killed  and  wounded,  and  almost  a  like  proportion  of  men ; 
where,  in  the  brief  space  of  thirty-five  minutes  twenty-two  stan 
dard-bearers  fell  and  your  glorious  colors,  tattered  and  torn  by 
the  bullets  of  the  foe,  never  dropped,  never  faltered,  until  the 
impregnable  position  of  the  enemy  compelled  the  order  for  your 
withdrawal,  where  they  were  brought  out  blood-stained,  but  not 
dishonored — the  gallant  First  Brigade,  side  by  side  with  you, 
gaining  equal  honors. 

"You  have  alluded  to  those  who  are  not  with  us ;  some  weak 
ened  and  enfeebled  by  wounds  and  scars,  others  by  disease,  and 
others — a  list  of  heroes :  McLane,  Naghel,  Carr,  Fisher  of  the 
Sixteenth  Michigan,  and  Fisher,  of  the  Twelfth  New  York, 
Blauvelt.  Wilson,  Demarest,  Reid,  Rantom,  Chittick,  Berly, 
Whittick,  Miller,  and  other  officers,  every  one  of  whom  deserve 
a  monument  to  their  indomitable  courage,  spirit  and  devotion. 
Can  I  recount  these  proofs  of  your  honor  and  fame,  and  have 
any  other  thought  than  your  kindly  remembrance,  that  we  were 
one  in  the  day  of  battle  as  in  every-day  duty?  You  have  en 
dured  the  marches  and  the  inevitable  hardships  attending  an 
active  campaign,  with  an  absence  of  complaint  that  reflects 
honor  and  credit  upon  you. 

"I  part  from  you  to  assume  another  command  in  obedience 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  75 

to  orders,  from  a  sense  of  duty,  mingled  with  sincere  regret 
that  I  am  not  again  to  share  the  honors  you  are  sure  to  win, 
with  your  comrades  of  the  First  and  Second  Brigades. 

"If  I  have  been  severe  with  you,  I  trust  you  have  long  since 
realized  that  it  was  for  your  benefit  and  that  of  your  men,  and 
the  good  of  the  cause  for  which  all  have  so  freely  offered  their 
lives.  I  trust  that  you  may  go  on,  as  heretofore,  good  soldiers, 
uncomplaining,  respectful  and  obedient  to  your  superiors,  with 
vigorous  discipline,  and  you  cannot  fail. 

"I  accept  your  beautiful  present,  a  bright  and  pleasing  me 
mento  of  our  contests  and  duties.  God  grant  that  I  may  never 
dishonor  your  kindness,  and  that  you  may  continue  to  win  new 
honor  and  credit  to  yourselves  and  your  country's  flag  until 
this  war  shall  end,  and  you  shall  find  again  the  peace  and  quiet 
of  happy  homes  and  friends,  to  proudly  wear  the  honors  you 
have  so  bravely  won,  and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  successful  labors 
for  the  preservation  of  our  Union." 


CHAPTER    III. 

The  Medal  of  Honor — Wounded  at  Games'  Mill — Reminiscences  of 
Butterfield — Commands  a  Division — Second  Manassas — Made 
Major-General — Commands  Fifth  Corps — Battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg — Official  Orders — Letter  to  Secretary  Chase. 

THE  "Medal  of  Honor"  was  awarded  Daniel  Butterfield, 
Brigadier-General,  U.  S.  Volunteers,  September  26,  1892,  on 
account  of  special  gallantry  in  action,  at  the  battle  of  Games' 
Mill,  "where  he  seized  the  colors  of  the  83d  Pennsylvania  In 
fantry  Volunteers,  at  a  critical  moment  and  under  a  galling  fire 
of  the  enemy,  led  the  command/' 

The  Battle  of  Games'  Mill  was  the  second  in  the  series  known 
as  the  "Seven  Days'  Battles,"  in  the  Peninsular  Campaign,  June 
and  July,  1862,  under  Gen.  George  B.  McClellan,  commanding 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  At  this  time  the  military  strength 
of  the  Confederate  States  had  been  brought  into  the  field  and 
concentrated  at  Richmond.  The  Federal  forces  on  the  bank  of 
the  Chickahominy,  reduced  by  miasmatic  fevers,  and  losses 
incident  to  the  siege  of  Yorktown  and  subsequent  battles,  were 
outnumbered  by  the  Confederate  Army. 

Eight  Divisions  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  occupied  in- 
trenchments  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Chickahominy,  fronting 
Richmond,  with  the  Confederates  massed  in  their  front.  En 
camped  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river,  connected  by  numerous 
bridges,  was  Gen.  Fitz-John  Porter's  Fifth  Corps,  forming  the 
right  wing  of  McClellan's  Army.  The  success  of  the  daring 
raid  by  Gen.  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  who,  with  his  force  of  Confeder 
ate  cavalry,  rode  completely  around  the  rear  of  the  Union 
Army,  attacking  outposts  and  destroying  supplies;  the  failure 
of  General  McDowell  to  reinforce,  with  his  40,000  men,  then  at 
Fredericksburg,  together  with  the  depleted  condition  of  his 
forces,  alarmed  McClellan  for  the  safety  of  his  army.  Antici- 


Congressional  Medal  of  Honor. 


Gold  Spurs  presented  to  General  Butter  field. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  77 

pating  the  possible  necessity  of  a  change  of  base  from  the 
Pamunkey,  transports  with  supplies  had  been  sent  up  the  James 
River,  under  convoy  of  gunboats,  as  early  as  the  i8th  of  June. 

As  a  further  movement  toward  a  change  of  base,  General 
Hooker,  on  June  25th,  was  ordered  to  take  up  an  advanced  posi 
tion  on  the  road  leading  directly  to  Richmond.  This  move 
ment,  it  was  expected,  would  renew  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks, 
and  by  the  advantage  of  the  bridges,  concentrate  the  whole 
army,  or,  if  the  battle  was  not  renewed,  it  would  be  one  step 
in  advance  toward  Richmond.  Late  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
same  day,  information  reached  McClellan  that  "Stonewall" 
Jackson — returned  from  the  Shenandoah  Valley — was  in  force 
near  Hanover  Court  House,  indicating  that  the  Confederate 
Army  had  been  concentrated,  and  the  object  of  General  Jack 
son,  in  this  position,  was  to  attack  the  Federal  communications 
on  the  right.  General  Hooker  was  therefore  recalled,  and  the 
advance  upon  Richmond  from  the  defenses  of  the  Chicka- 
hominy,  abandoned,  while  preparations  were  hastened  for  a 
transfer  of  the  army  to  the  bank  of  the  James. 

At  two  o'clock,  on  the  afternoon  of  June  26th,  the  Confed 
erate  forces  under  Generals  Longstreet,  A.  P.  Hill  and  D.  H. 
Hill,  attacked  General  McCall's  Division,  of  Porters  Corps, 
intrenched  along  the  Beaver  Dam  Creek.  After  persistent  and 
bloody  assaults,  lasting  until  nine  o'clock  p.  m.,  in  which  the 
entire  Fifth  Corps  became  involved,  the  enemy  was  driven  back 
with  heavy  loss.  Jackson's  advance  from  Hanover,  at  the  same 
time,  uncovered  the  bridges.  It  became,  therefore,  impera 
tive  for  General  Porter  to  withdraw  from  Beaver  Dam  Creek 
to  a  more  advantageous  position  covering  the  bridges  connect 
ing  the  two  wings  of  McClellan's  army,  there  to  wait  the  com 
bined  assaults  of  Lee  and  Jackson,  on  the  morrow.  At  three 
o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  June  27th,  Porter,  in  accordance 
with  McClellan's  orders,  began  slowly  to  fall  back  toward  his 
camp  near  Games'  House,  to  the  eastward  of  which,  along  the 
banks  of  a  ravine  formed  by  Powhite  Creek,  he  drew  up  his 
troops,  consisting  of  26,000  men  and  60  guns,  in  line  of  battle. 
General  George  W.  Morell's  First  Division  held  the  left  of  the 


78  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

battle  line,  which  extended  about  one  mile  and  a  half,  its  left, 
the  Third  Brigade,  commanded  by  General  Butterfield,  resting 
on  the  slope  that  descended  to  the  stream.  Martindale  came 
next,  and  then  Griffin,  who  touched  the  left  of  Syke's  Division, 
which  extended  to  the  rear  of  Cold  Harbor.  Each  Brigade 
had  two  regiments  in  reserve.  McCall's  Division  formed  the 
second  line  in  rear,  with  Meade's  Brigade  on  the  left,  near  the 
Chickahominy,  and  Reynolds  on  the  right.  Seymour's  Bri 
gade  was  held  in  reserve  in  the  rear  of  McCall.  The  artillery 
was  strongly  posted  on  the  elevations  and  in  the  spaces  between 
division  and  brigade  fronts,  commanding  the  Cold  Harbor  and 
New  Cold  Harbor  roads,  over  which  the  enemy  had  to  pass. 
General  Stoneman,  in  command  of  a  flying  column  of  cavalry, 
reinforced  by  the  I7th  Regiment,  New  York  Infantry,  of  But- 
terfield's  Brigade,  was  sent  to  guard  Porter's  flank  and  the 
supplies  at  White  House  Landing. 

The  Confederates,  under  Longstreet  and  A.  P.  Hill,  from 
Mechanicsville ;  D.  H.  Hill  and  Jackson,  from  Old  Cold  Har 
bor,  about  80,000  men,  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  the  Union 
Army,  and  at  two  o'clock  p.  m.  formed  battle  lines  of  three 
brigades  each,  behind  the  crest  of  the  hills.  These  lines,  which 
were  parallel  with  Porter's  position,  extended  from  the  valley  of 
the  Chickahominy,  through  New  Cold  Harbor,  around  Morell's 
front.  A.  P.  Hill,  in  front  of  New  Cold  Harbor,  connecting 
with  Ewell,  of  Jackson's  Corps ;  D.  H.  Hill,  with  his  five  bri 
gades  extending  beyond  Porter's  right,  threatening  Sykes  in 
front,  flank  and  rear.  Longstreet  and  A.  P.  Hill  were  to  at 
tack  the  left  and  center  under  Morell.  The  ground  on  which 
the  battle  was  fought,  was  undulating,  broken  by  ravines  and 
hollows,  open  fields  alternating  with  heavy  timber.  General 
Porter's  account  of  the  battle  is,  in  part,  as  follows  : 

"The  position  selected  was  east  of  Powhite's  Creek.  The 
line  of  battle  was  semi-circular,  the  extremities  being  in  the 
Valley  of  the  Chickahominy,  while  the  intermediate  portion  oc 
cupied  the  high  grounds  along  the  bank  of  a  creek  curved 
around  McGehee's  to  Elder  Swamp.  Part  of  the  front  was 
covered  by  the  ravine  of  the  creek.  The  east  bank  was  lined 


GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  79 

with  trees  and  underbrush,  which  afforded  concealment  and 
protection  to  our  troops  and  artillery.  The  bed  of  the  stream 
was  nearly  dry,  and  its  west  bank  gave  excellent  protection  to 
the  first  line  of  infantry  posted  under  it,  to  receive  the  enemy 
descending  the  cleared  fields  sloping  to  it.  The  swampy 
grounds  along  the  sources  of  the  creek  were  open  to  our  view 
in  front  for  hundreds  of  yards,  and  was  swept  by  the  fire  of 
infantry  and  artillery.  . 

"Soon  after  two  o'clock  p.  m.,  A.  P.  Hill's  force  advanced 
from  under  cover  of  the  woods,  in  lines  well  formed  and  ex 
tending,  as  the  contest  progressed,  from  in  front  of  Martin's 
Battery  to  Morell's  left.  Dashing  across  the  intervening  plains, 
floundering  in  the  swamps  and  struggling  against  the  tangled 
brushwood,  brigade  after  brigade  seemed  almost  to  melt  away 
before  the  concentrated  fire  of  our  artillery  and  infantry.  Yet 
others  pressed  on,  followed  by  supports,  as  dashing  and  as 
brave  as  their  predecessors,  despite  their  heavy  losses  and  the 
disheartening  effect  of  having  to  clamber  over  many  of  their 
disabled  and  dead,  and  to  meet  their  surviving  comrades  rush 
ing  back  in  great  disorder  from  the  deadly  contest.  For  nearly 
two  hours  the  battle  raged,  extending  more  or  less  along  our 
whole  line  to  our  extreme  right.  The  fierce  firing-  of  artillery 
and  infantry,  the  crash  of  the  shot,  the  bursting  of  shells  and 
the  whizzing  of  bullets — heard  above  the  roar  of  artillery — and 
the  volleys  of  musketry,  all  combined,  was  something  fearful. 
.  .  .  The  enemy  were  repulsed  in  every  direction ;  an  omin 
ous  silence  reigned.  It  caused  the  inference  that  the  enemy 
were  being  gathered  and  massed  for  a  desperate  and  over 
whelming  attack.  To  meet  it,  our  front  line  was  concentrated, 
reinforced  and  arranged  to  breast  the  avalanche,  should  it  come. 
I  again  asked  for  reinforcements.  French's  and  Meagher's 
Brigades,  of  Sumner's  Corps,  were  sent  forward  by  the  com 
manding  general,  but  did  not  arrive  until  nearly  dark.  .  .  . 

"The  silence  which  followed  the  repulse  lasted  but  a  short 
time.  The  renewed  attacks  raged  with  great  fierceness  and 
fury  along  the  most  of  the  front  until  after  five  o'clock.  Large 
and  numerous  bodies  of  infantry,  from  the  direction  of  Old 


80  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 

Cold  Harbor,  under  cover  of  artillery,  directed  their  attacks 
upon  Sykes'  Division  and  Martin's  Battery.  Others,  from  the 
west  side  of  Powhite  Creek,  were  hurled  in  rapid  succession 
against  Martindale  and  Butterfield.  These  furious  attacks  were 
successfully  repelled,  but  were  immediately  renewed  by  fresh 
troops.  ...  At  four  o'clock,  when  Slocum  arrived,  all  of 
our  reserves  were  exhausted.  His  brigades  were  necessarily 
separated  and  sent  where  most  needed.  .  .  .  About  6.30, 
preceded  by  a  silence  of  half  an  hour,  the  attack  was  renewed 
all  along  the  line  with  the  same  apparent  determination  to  sweep 
us,  by  the  force  of  numbers,  from  the  field,  if  not  from  exis 
tence.  This  attack,  like  its  predecessors,  was  successfully  re 
pulsed  throughout  its  length.  .  .  .  As  if  for  a  final  effort, 
as  the  shades  of  evening  were  coming  upon  us  and  the  woods 
were  filled  with  smoke,  limiting  the  view  therein  to  a  few  yards, 
the  enemy  again  massed  his  fresher  and  reformed  regiments 
and  threw  them  in  rapid  succession  against  our  thinned  and 
wearied  battalions,  now  almost  without  ammunition,  and  with 
guns  so  foul  that  they  could  not  be  loaded  rapidly.  The  at 
tacks,  though  coming  like  a  series  of  apparently  irresistible 
avalanches,  had  thus  far  made  no  inroads  upon  our  firm  and 
disciplined  ranks.  Even  in  this  last  attack,  we  successfully  re 
sisted,  driving  back  our  assailants  with  immense  loss,  or  hold 
ing  them  beyond  our  lines,  except  in  one  instance,  near  the 
center  of  Morell's  line,  where,  by  force  of  numbers  and  under 
cover  of  the  smoke  of  battle,  cur  line  was  penetrated  and 
broken/' 

It  was  at  this  last  furious  onset  of  Longstreet's  Corps  the 
incident  occurred,  that  gained  for  General  Butterfield  his 
"Medal  of  Honor,"  and  is  thus  described  in  the  "Third  Bri 
gade  Records" : 

"Through  all  this  terrible  day  Butterfield's  Brigade  has  stood 
like  a  rock,  receiving  and  repelling  the  assaults  of  Hill's  and 
Longstreet's  Corps.  Formed  on  the  extreme  left,  in  two  lines, 
the  44th  New  York  and  83d  Pennsylvania,  in  first;  the  i6th 
Michigan  and  I2th  New  York,  in  second  line,  they  had  met 


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GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  81 

every  advance  with  the  steadiness  and  firmness  of  veterans. 
The  first  line  fired  kneeling,  the  second  standing  and  firing  over 
them.  Their  ranks  torn  by  the  enemy's  artillery,  the  ground 
strewn  with  their  dead,  no  one  faltered,  no  step  turned  back 
ward  in  that  sturdy  Brigade.  They  were  fighting  under  the 
guidance  of  a  commander  whose  soldierly  qualities  made  them 
what  they  were,  a  Brigade  with  but  few  equals  and  no  superiors, 
a  commander  whose  gallant  conduct  on  the  field  of  battle  was  a 
model  for  every  soldier,  inspiring  perfect  confidence  in  his  mas 
terly  leadership,  a  confidence  that  he  gave  back  in  full  return. 
Knowing  the  desperate  trial  was  soon  to  come,  General  Butter- 
field  passed  along  the  lines,  urging  and  inspiring  his  men. 
Seizing  the  Eighty-third's  colors,  waving  them  above  his  head, 
his  clear  voice  rang  out,  'Your  ammunition  is  never  expended 
while  you  have  your  bayonets,  my  boys,  and  use  them  to  the 
socket !'  Then  to  the  Sixteenth's  right,  grasping  a  guidon 
and  thrusting  it  into  the  earth,  said,  'Sixteenth,  this  position 
must  be  held  if  it  costs  the  life  of  every  man  in  the  regiment!' 
The  expected  storm  burst  forth.  Longstreet  and  Hill,  unable 
to  break  the  line  in  front,  had  called  for  assistance.  In  re 
sponse,  Whiting,  with  Hood's  and  Law's  Brigades,  of  Jack 
son's  Corps,  were  ordered  from  the  right  to  add  their  weight 
to  the  great  mass  to  be  hurled  against  Porter's  left.  .  .  . 
Our  rifle-pits  were  tipped  with  fire ;  sheets  of  flame  flashed  from 
the  crest,  the  roll  of  musketry  blending  with  the  explosions  of 
artillery.  Rifle  and  musketry  shot,  shell  and  shrapnel  strewed 
the  ground.  On  came  the  avalanche,  men  falling  by  hundreds, 
whole  ranks  down  in  a  moment.  The  impact  of  the  mass  from 
behind  was  so  great  that  the  lines  in  front  must  keep  on.  There 
was  no  check,  no  hesitation,  and  they  drove  like  a  huge  mass  of 
iron,  straight  upon  our  fire  and  line,  bursting  through  Martin- 
dale's  left,  hurling  his  Brigade,  through  sheer  force  of  numbers, 
backward,  down  the  slope,  shattered  and  broken.  Our  sup 
ports  on  the  right  were  gone,  and  there  were  none  on  the  left. 
.  .  .  Butterfield's  Brigade  had,  during  that  bloody  day,  re 
ceived  at  different  times  the  attacks  and  fire  of  many  brigades 
of  the  enemy,  comprising  Hill's,  Longstreet's  and  Jackson's 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 

Corps.  The  fearful  list  of  6,837  Federal,  and  8,751  Confed 
erates,  killed  and  wounded  and  missing,  proves  how  well  Por 
ter's  Corps  sustained  those  assaults.  The  losses  in  the  four 
regiments  of  Butterfield's  Brigade,  engaged  in  the  battle  of 
Games'  Mill,  were,  i2th  New  York,  131  ;  44th  New  York,  55; 
83d  Pennsylvania,  196;  i6th  Michigan,  220 — a  total  of  602. 

"Of  this  Brigade's  invincible  courage,  unshaken  to  the  last, 
Gen.  Cadmus  M.  Wilcox,  of  the  Confederate  Army,  states  in 
his  report  of  the  Battle  of  Games'  Mill :  'As  we  crossed  its 
line  of  battle,  the  number  of  its  dead,  in  regular  lines,  showed 
distinctly  where  its  lines  of  regiments  had  stood.'  r 

We  return  to  Butterfield's  memorandum  of  military  service 
during  the  Civil  War,  supplied  by  him  to  the  War  Department : 

The  1 7th  New  York  and  i8th  Massachusetts,  of  the  First 
Brigade,  detached  after  the  battle  of  Hanover  Court  House  to 
report  to  General  Stoneman.  Moved  off  to  our  right  to  watch 
the  enemy's  movements;  became  cut  off  by  subsequent  opera 
tions.  Marched  to  the  White  House.  Rejoined  Brigade  by 
way  of  Yorktown,  Fortress  Monroe  and  James  River,  at  Har 
rison's  Landing,  July  2d.  With  the  balance  of  the  Brigade  was 
in  reserve  at  the  battle  of  Mechanicsville,  on  the  26th  of  June — 
riot  engaged.  On  the  27th  of  June,  at  3  a.  m.,  received  orders 
to  assist  in  the  covering  and  removal  of  4^-inch  guns  from  near 
Dr.  Games'  house,  and  took  position  between  Dr.  Games' 
house  and  Watts'  house,  near  Games'  Mill.  Selected  a  posi 
tion;  was  removed  from  it  under  the  instructions  of  General 
Barnard,  Chief  Engineer  General  McClellan's  Staff.  Then 
took  a  position  which  was  on  the  left  of  General  Porter's  line  at 
the  battle  of  Games'  Mill.  Was  ordered  to  hold  it  simply. 
Repelled  three  attacks  of  the  enemy,  made  in  force,  double  and 
treble  my  own.  Maintained  my  line  that  day  by  aid  of  the  en 
trenchments  and  cover  hastily  thrown  up,  until  the  Brigade  of 
General  Martindale,  on  my  right,  was  broken,  and  the  enemy 
by  this  means  was  on  my  right,  left  and  front,  and  sent  out  a 
flag  of  truce  demanding  a  surrender,  which  was  declined.  I 
withdrew  my  command,  losing  heavily.  The  Brigade,  being 


GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  83 

separated  by  the  assaults  of  the  enemy,  a  portion  crossed  the 
Chickahominy  into  the  camp  of  Gen.  W.  F.  Smith,  the  balance, 
with  myself,  forming  near  the  hospital  on  the  hill  in  rear  of 
the  battleground,  remaining  there  until  midnight,  when  we 
were  ordered  to  cross  the  Chickahominy  and  camp  near  Dr. 
Trent's  farm. 

On  the  28th  of  June  we  marched  beyond  Savage  Station. 
On  the  29th  we  moved  out  and  formed  in  line  of  battle. 

In  the  morning  of  the  3Oth  marched  to  James  River,  and 
in  afternoon  of  same  day  back  to  Turkey  Bend  in  support  of 
reserve  artillery  in  position  there,  where  we  lost  two  or  three 
men.  On  the  morning  of  the  ist  of  July  was  assigned  a  posi 
tion  in  reserve  at  the  battle  of  Malvern.  Toward  evening,  Bri 
gade  in  the  second  line,  in  front  of  mine,  not  moving  to  the 
support  of  General  Griffin's  line,  I  moved  my  Brigade  over  it 
and  became  heavily  engaged.  During  this  engagement  General 
Caldwell's  Brigade  was  ordered  to  report  to  me.  I  sent  him  to 
the  assistance  of  General  Couch,  on  my  right,  who  was  sorely 
pressed  at  the  time.  The  night  of  ist  of  July  my  troops  pick 
eted  and  held  the  battlefield  of  Malvern  Hill  until  midnight, 
when  they  were  ordered  to  withdraw  and  move  to  Harrison's 
Landing. 

HEADQUARTERS,  BUTTERFIELD'S  BRIGADE,  MORELL'S  DIVISION, 
FIFTH    PROVISIONAL  ARMY   CORPS, 

HARRISON'S  LANDING,  VA.,  July  2,  1862. 

CAPTAIN — I  respectfully  report  the  following  general  account 
of  the  movements  and  actions  of  the  Brigade  which  I  have  the 
honor  to  command  since  the  26th  of  June : 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  26th  of  June,  between  3  and  4  o'clock 
gade  on  the  road  toward  Old  Church,  by  Cold  Harbor,  and  take 
p.  m.,  I  was  ordered  by  General  Morell  to  proceed  with  my  Bri- 
a  strong  position  and  hold  the  enemy  in  check  there.  A  subse 
quent  order  directed  me  not  to  go  very  far,  but  to  assume  a 
strong  position,  if  one  could  be  found.  I  arrived  at  Cold  Har 
bor  and  found  Brigadier-General  Cooke,  U.  S.  Army,  in  com 
mand  of  a  force  of  cavalry.  In  pursuance  of  directions  of 


84  GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

General  Porter,  received  there,  I  halted  my  Brigade  and  as 
sumed  command  of  the  whole  force,  and  made  dispositions  to 
resist  an  attack,  placing  skirmishers  in  front,  disposing  the 
infantry  in  two  lines,  cavalry  in  reserve,  and  directed  patrols 
to  be  sent  out  two  or  three  miles  in  advance  and  on  all  the 
roads  approaching  the  position. 

I  had  but  fairly  made  these  dispositions  when  I  was  ordered 
to  return  and  report  to  General  Morell,  near  the  camp  of  Gen 
eral  Porter,  on  the  Mechanicsville  Road.  On  leaving  my  posi 
tion  I  directed  General  Cooke  to  remain  at  Cold  Harbor  until 
receiving  my  orders  from  General  Porter,  and  notified  General 
Porter  thereof.  While  on  the  march  to  the  position  ordered  by 
General  Morell  I  received  orders  to  halt  in  the  vicinity  of  Gen 
eral  Morell's  old  camp,  near  Games'  house,  and  await  orders. 
After  remaining  until  nearly  dark  at  this  point,  while  General 
Morell  was  with  the  balance  of  the  division  engaged  with  the 
enemy  near  Mechanicsville,  General  Porter  ordered  me  to  move 
up  in  the  rear  of  the  regular  infantry,  near  his  camp,  and  en 
camp  in  line  of  battle,  which  was  done. 

At  3  a.  m.  on  the  2/th  I  received  orders  from  General  Porter 
to  detail  a  regiment  to  remove  by  hand  the  heavy  guns  in  bat 
tery  near  Hogan's  house  to  a  point  on  the  hill  near  Watts'  and 
Adams'  houses,  east  of  Dr.  Games'  house,  on  the  Games'  Mill 
Creek,  to  guard  them  with  my  Brigade,  and  take  up  a  position 
on  the  hills  east  of  Dr.  Games'  house  across  the  ravine,  and  to 
hold  that  position  during  the  passage  of  Generals  McCall's  and 
Martindale's  troops  to  the  rear.  In  compliance  with  these  or 
ders  I  posted  my  Brigade  on  the  hill,  with  the  battery  assigned 
to  me,  the  battery  commanding  Games'  house,  the  approaches 
to  the  hill  and  valley  in  that  direction,  the  Brigade  supporting  it. 

Subsequently,  at  about  5  a.  m.,  General  Porter,  in  company 
with  General  Barnard,  directed  me  to  take  up  a  new  position  in 
the  rear  of  the  one  last  mentioned,  in  the  ravine  in  front  of 
Watts'  house,  with  the  left  resting  on  the  valley  of  the  Chicka- 
hominy ;  to  leave  the  battery  on  the  hill  where  it  had  been  sta 
tioned  until  the  passage  of  all  of  our  troops  and  the  flying  ar 
tillery  guarding  the  rear ;  then  to  bring  the  battery  back,  de- 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  85 

stroying  all  bridges.  This  was  all  successfully  and  properly 
accomplished,  and  much  credit  is  due  to  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Rice,  44th  New  York  Volunteers,  field  officer  of  the  day,  who 
had  charge  of  the  destruction  of  the  bridges. 

The  following  was  the  disposition  of  my  Brigade:  Eighty- 
third  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  on  the  creek,  with  its  right  con 
necting  with  General  Martindale's  left  (ist  Michigan  Regi 
ment)  ;  44th  New  York  to  the  left  and  on  the  same  line  of  83d ; 
1 2th  New  York  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  in  rear  of  and  support 
ing  the  83d;  i6th  Michigan  back  of  crest  of  hill,  in  rear  of  and 
supporting  the  44th ;  Allen's  5th  Massachusetts  Battery  to  the 
right  and  rear  of  my  position,  so  situated  as  to  be  used  at  any 
point  of  the  line  I  might  wish ;  skirmishers  from  the  83d  and 
44th  regiments,  together  with  the  sharpshooters  of  the  i6th 
Michigan,  were  thrown  well  forward  on  the  brow  of  the  hill, 
commanding  our  entire  lines.  These  skirmishers  throughout 
the  day  performed  their  duties  in  a  manner  to  merit  my  entire 
satisfaction,  successfully  holding  the  enemy  in  check  and  only 
retreating  when  attacked  by  two  or  three  regiments  of  the 
enemy.  For  the  names  of  the  gallant  officers  who  commanded 
the  line  of  skirmishers  so  bravely  and  so  well  I  refer  to  the  regi 
mental  reports  of  the  83d  and  44th  Regiments. 

The  first  attack  of  the  enemy  in  force  on  my  Brigade  took 
place  at  about  2.30  o'clock  p.  m.,  having  been  preceded  by  a 
like  attack  on  the  right  and  center  of  the  general  line.  So  soon 
as  it  began  I  ordered  a  section  of  Allen's  battery  to  take  a  posi 
tion  opposite  and  fire  through  an  interval  in  the  woods  com 
manding  the  hill  in  front  of  my  center.  Their  fire  proved  very 
destructive  to  the  assaulting  column.  Finding  that  my  front 
line  would  successfully  hold  the  enemy  in  check,  I  ordered  the 
1 2th  New  York  and  i6th  Michigan  to  the  right  in  support  of 
General  Martindale's  left ;  but,  as  the  result  proved,  their  serv 
ices  were  not  needed  there  and  they  returned. 

The  second  attack  of  the  enemy,  preceded  as  in  the  first  one 
by  an  attack  on  the  right  and  center,  took  place  at  about  5.30 
o'clock  p.  m.,  and  was  more  severe,  but  so  far  as  the  result  is 
concerned  met  with  a  like  reception  and  repulse.  I  brought 


86  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

forward  my  two  reserves  and  had  the  whole  of  my  force  en 
gaged.  Constant  information  was  brought  me  from  the  skir 
mishers  of  any  change  in  the  enemy's  position.  I  was  thus 
enabled  to  anticipate  every  assault.  The  7th  Regiment  Penn 
sylvania  Reserve  Corps  was  once  sent  to  my  assistance,  but 
was  not  used,  and  subsequently,  at  the  request  of  Colonel 
McQuade,  sent  to  his  support,  and  while  on  the  way  stopped  by 
General  Martindale  to  assist  him. 

At  the  third  and  last  assault,  which  took  place  shortly  after 
6  p.  m.,  and  which  seemed  simultaneous  throughout  the  whole 
line,  all  four  of  my  regiments  were  engaged,  occupying  the 
positions  as  first  noted.  Finding  the  pressure  terribly  severe 
upon  General  Martindale's  line,  I  moved  a  portion  of  my  com 
mand  by  the  flank  to  his  support,  changing  the  front  of  the 
83d  Pennsylvania  partially  to  assist  in  resisting  the  attack  on 
General  Martindale's  front,  and  moving  the  Twelfth  by  a  flank, 
with  the  hope  and  endeavor  to  hold  in  check  the  enemy,  who, 
by  their  vastly  superior  strength  and  their  overpowering  rein 
forcements  of  fresh  troops,  had  succeeded  in  breaking  a  por 
tion  of  General  Martindale's  line  without  disgrace  to  any  por 
tion  of  his  command ;  for  no  men  could  ever  have  fought  better, 
braver,  or  more  determinedly.  In  moving  the  I2th  Regiment 
by  the  right  flank  a  portion  of  the  regiment  gave  way,  the 
balance  remaining  firm,  with  the  greater  portion  of  my  Brigade, 
until  surrounded  and  outflanked.  At  this  time  fell  the  gallant 
Colonel  McLane,  fighting  at  the  head  of  his  regiment;  also 
Major  Naghel. 

The  various  movements  of  the  different  portions  of  my  com 
mand  in  detail  are  set  forth  in  the  reports  of  the  regimental 
commanders  inclosed  herewith. 

Finding  it  useless  to  attempt  longer  to  hold  the  ground,  every 
effort  was  made  to  form  a  new  line  in  the  rear  and  gradually 
withdraw  the  Brigade  under  cover  of  the  batteries  on  our  right. 
Twice  did  the  greater  portion  of  the  command  form  and  deliver 
a  fire  with  a  bravery  and  gallantry  worthy  of  better  success, 
while  the  enemy  pursued  hotly  in  overpowering  numbers. 
Finding  from  the  position  and  condition  of  my  command,  their 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  87 

ammunition  being  exhausted,  I  ordered  Major  Vegesack  to 
withdraw  the  left  in  as  good  order  as  possible,  and  place  it  in 
a  condition  of  safety.  The  enemy  had  cut  my  line  while  I  was 
endeavoring  to  rally  those  that  had  broken  from  my  right  and 
from  the  left  of  General  Martindale.  So  emboldened  were  the 
enemy  by  their  success  in  getting  on  all  sides  of  my  command, 
that  a  regiment  sent  a  flag  of  truce  to  the  83d,  demanding  their 
surrender.  This  was  indignantly  refused,  and  the  regiment 
expended  its  last  round  of  ammunition  in  fighting  its  way  out. 
A  large  portion  of  these  succeeded  in  forming  in  good  order  on 
the  hill  in  rear  of  the  batteries,  and  with  other  fragments  of 
commands,  aided  by  the  Prince  de  Joinville,  Captain  Hoyt  and 
Major  Webb,  of  the  regular  artillery,  and  Colonel  Roberts,  2d 
Maine,  two  good  lines  of  troops  were  formed  with  some  degree 
of  precision.  The  firing  of  the  artillery  closed  the  scene  and 
saved  us  all  from  destruction. 

Too  much  credit  cannot  be  given  to  the  artillery  practice  of 
General  Smith's  command  across  the  Chickahominy  upon  the 
overpowering  masses  of  the  enemy  thrown  upon  our  left.  The 
fire  of  General  Smith's  artillery  upon  the  masses  was  deadly 
and  precise,  and  was  of  material  assistance  to  us,  silencing  a 
battery  planted  by  the  enemy  in  the  orchard  near  Games'  house 
about  noon. 

I  know  not  how  properly  to  acknowledge  the  services  of  my 
own  personal  staff.  They  were  everywhere  present  in  time  of 
need,  behaving  with  the  greatest  gallantry.  Lieutenant  Fisher 
received  a  mortal  wound  while  carrying  an  order  to  the  83d 
Pennsylvania  Volunteers.  The  conduct  of  Captain  Hoyt  and 
Major  Vegesack  throughout  the  day  for  their  courage,  gal 
lantry  and  coolness  in  the  trying  scenes  at  the  close  of  the 
fight  was  most  admirable.  I  cannot  too  highly  speak  of  their 
personal  bravery.  Major  Welch,  of  the  i6th  Michigan,  and 
Major  Barnum,  of  the  I2th  New  York  Volunteers  rendered  me 
invaluable  assistance  throughout  the  entire  fight,  exposing 
themselves  to  danger  carrying  orders  and  bringing  information 
with  unsurpassed  coolness  and  bravery.  Lieutenant  Living 
ston  also  did  good  service,  making  strong  endeavors  to  rally 


88  GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

the  troops  when  broken  and  driven  by  the  enemy.  I  shall  take 
another  time  and  pay  a  fitting  tribute  to  the  services  and  mem 
ory  of  Colonel  McLane  and  Major  Naghel  and  Lieutenant 
Fisher,  and  all  the  officers  who  gave  their  lives  for  their  coun 
try  on  this  hard-contested  field. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Rice,  44th  New  York  Volunteers,  be 
haved  with  the  greatest  gallantry  and  bravery,  and  I  would 
recommend  his  promotion  to  the  command  of  his  regiment, 
made  vacant  by  the  resignation  of  his  colonel.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Richardson,  of  the  I2th  New  York  Volunteers,  with  a 
large  proportion  of  his  regiment,  added  credit  and  honor  to 
their  name  and  reputation.  Colonel  Stockton,  of  the  i6th 
Michigan  (too  sick  really  for  duty,  and  now  missing),  with 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Ruehle  and  Major  Webb,  behaved  well  and 
deserve  credit.  All  my  officers  and  men,  with  a  very  few  ex 
ceptions,  behaved  in  the  most  admirable  manner.  I  should  like 
to  speak  more  at  length  of  many  of  the  officers  and  men  of  my 
command,  but  I  must  leave  these  details  to  the  reports  of  the 
regimental  commanders.  Enfeebled  by  the  extreme  heat  and 
a  return  of  the  weakness  and  illness  from  which  I  have  been 
suffering  for  some  time,  I  am  admonished  that  I  must  rest 
and  remain  quiet,  that  I  may  be  ready  again  to  answer  any 
call.  I  must  trust  to  a  future  report  of  the  action  of  July  ist  to 
make  a  general  resume  of  the  whole,  and  endeavor  to  do  jus 
tice  to  all.  I  will  send  in  regimental  reports  as  fast  as  re 
ceived.  Much  interesting  detail  and  valuable  information  of 
the  progress  of  the  action  will  be  gathered  from  them.  I  am 
not  able  now  to  write  more. 

Respectfully, 
DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD,  Brigadier-General. 

CAPTAIN  R.  T.  AUCHMUTY, 

Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

HEADQUARTERS,  THIRD  BRIG.,  FIRST  Div.,  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

CAMP  HARRISON'S  LANDING,  VA.,  July  n,  1862. 
CAPTAIN — In  continuation  of  the  part  of  my  report  of  the 
movements  of  my  command  from  the  26th  of  June  to  the  2d 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  89 

of  July,  I  would  state  that  the  left  of  the  Brigade  (separated 
from  the  right,  as  indicated  in  my  last  report)  was  conducted 
across  the  Chickahominy  on  the  night  of  the  27th  to  the  camp 
of  General  Smith  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Rice,  of  the  44th  New 
York  Volunteers,  senior  officer  in  command,  by  orders  from  me, 
sent  through  Major  Vegesack,  of  my  Staff.  At  Gen.  W.  F. 
Smith's  camp  they  received  every  attention  and  kindness  from 
that  officer,  which  I  desire  sincerely  to  acknowledge.  Such 
portions  of  the  right  as  I  had  been  able  to  keep  in  good  order 
rested  for  the  night  on  the  hill  at  the  hospital,  near  Woodbury's 
Bridge,  on  the  battlefield.  Subsequently  the  whole  command 
was  moved  by  order  of  General  Porter  at  about  daylight  across 
the  Chickahominy  to  the  Trent  farm,  the  old  headquarters  of 
General  McClellan. 

On  Saturday,  by  order  of  General  Morell,  two  of  my  regi 
ments  were  sent  out  on  outpost  duty  in  front  of  the  position 
then  held  by  the  corps.  Subsequently  the  whole  command  were 
recalled  and  marched  to  Savage  Station,  and  from  there  to 
White  Oak  Swamp,  nothing  worthy  of  note  occurring  on  the 
march.  The  Brigade  encamped  in  the  vicinity  of  the  corps, 
without  tents,  blankets,  or  rations,  and  marched  at  an  early 
hour  next  day  (Sunday,  29th),  and  took  position  on  the  Charles 
City  Road  to  repel  any  attack  from  that  direction.  At  8  p.  m. 
it  moved  out,  with  the  rest  of  the  division,  some  six  miles  and 
back,  arriving  at  the  vicinity  of  the  former  camp  at  daybreak. 
The  line  of  march  was  taken  up  toward  James  River  at  six  a.  m. 
Monday,  3Oth,  arriving  and  going  into  camp  in  the  vicinity  and 
rear  of  Malvern  Hill  at  ten  a.  m. 

On  Monday  afternoon  we  received  orders  to  move  to  a  posi 
tion  on  Malvern  Hill  in  front  of  the  Malvern  house,  support 
ing  some  batteries  of  General  Sykes'  Division  or  General 
Griffin's  Brigade,  as  circumstances  might  render  expedient. 
The  enemy  opened  fire  with  a  battery  from  the  woods  on  the 
left  of  that  position,  which,  though  for  a  time  sending  many 
shells  among  us,  caused  no  loss.  General  Griffin  sent  to  me  for 
a  regiment  to  support  him  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  83d 
Pennsylvania  was  sent  to  him,  and  remained  with  him  over- 


90  GENEBAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

night,  returning  next  morning.  The  balance  of  the  Brigade 
slept  on  their  arms  that  night.  In  the  morning,  at  about  8 
o'clock,  we  took  a  position  in  the  edge  of  the  woods  on  the 
right  of  the  Quaker  Road,  behind  the  private  road  crossing  it, 
with  orders  to  support  General  Martindale,  and  if  he  captured 
any  prisoners  to  take  charge  of  them. 

About  noon,  apprehending  an  attack  from  the  enemy  in  large 
force  upon  the  position  held  by  General  Griffin,  near  Mr.  -  — 's 
house  and  the  junction  of  the  road  and  private  road,  my  Bri 
gade  was  formed,  by  General  Morell's  order,  in  close  column 
in  two  lines  in  the  rear  of  General  Martindale's,  and  lay  for  a 
long  time,  suffering  a  severe  artillery  fire  by  the  enemy,  which 
killed  and  wounded  several  of  my  command.  Shortly  after  this 
disposition  the  enemy  opened  a  severe  fire  of  shell,  canister, 
grape  and  round  shot  from  different  batteries  on  his  right  and 
left,  which,  for  the  most  part,  converged  in  the  vicinity  of  this 
open  space.  The  Brigade  for  a  long  time  and  with  great 
patience  endured  this  artillery  fire.  Many  of  its  soldiers  were 
wounded,  yet  that  spirit  of  calmness  and  firmness,  arising  from 
discipline,  but  worthy  of  older  and  more  experienced  troops, 
prevailed  throughout  the  entire  ranks.  This  patient  endurance 
of  such  a  severe  converging  fire  of  the  enemy's  artillery  con 
fidently  assured  me  on  what  determination  I  might  rely  when 
the  fortunes  of  the  day  should  call  the  Brigade  from  passive  to 
active  duty. 

I  at  once  endeavored  to  thoroughly  acquaint  myself  with  the 
nature  of  the  ground  in  front,  and,  if  possible,  the  threaten 
ing  disposition  which  the  enemy  was  continually  making  of  his 
own  forces.  For  this  purpose  I  rode  to  the  front  frequently 
and  personally  gained  the  knowledge  required,  and  often  com 
municated  the  same  to  the  general  commanding  the  corps  by 
orderlies  furnished  me  for  that  purpose.  I  was  greatly  assisted 
in  this  duty  by  the  invaluable  services  of  Major  Barnum  and 
Captain  Hoyt. 

It  soon  became  evident  that  General  Couch's  left  would  re 
quire  support.  I  visited  General  Couch  and  consulted  with 
him.  His  opinion  corresponding  with  mine,  I  informed  him 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  91 

that  I  would  assist  him  in  case  of  necessity.  I  also  advised  the 
general  commanding  the  corps  to  that  effect.  On  receipt  of 
this  dispatch  General  Porter  ordered  Colonel  Caldwell's  Bri 
gade  to  report  to  me  for  such  disposition  as  I  might  deem 
necessary.  I  ordered  this  brigade  to  remain  in  reserve  on 
General  Couch's  left  and  rear  and  report  to  him  for  orders. 
The  enemy  now  attacked  our  line  with  renewed  vigor,  and  ad 
vanced  with  the  design  of  capturing  our  batteries  on  the  crest 
of  the  hill.  General  Couch  sent,  by  an  orderly,  to  me  for  fur 
ther  support.  I  immediately  ordered  the  83d  Pennsylvania 
and  i6th  Michigan  to  the  point  of  junction  of  the  Fifth  Corps 
with  General  Couch's  left.  The  result  of  this  disposition  of 
these  two  regiments  is  fully  set  forth  in  the  official  reports  of 
the  regimental  commanders,  to  which  I  would  call  the  atten 
tion  of  the  commanding  general. 

It  soon  became  evident  that  the  enemy  was  throwing  large 
forces  on  our  front  and  left  with  a  resolution  to  flank  us,  and 
thus  decide  the  fortunes  of  the  day.  The  struggle  became, 
along  the  front  and  left,  desperate  on  both  sides.  Sensible  of 
the  importance  of  the  moment,  advising  the  general  command 
ing  the  corps  of  my  actions  in  the  premises,  the  brigade  sta 
tioned  in  front  of  mine  not  moving,  I  determined  to,  and  did, 
order  the  44th  New  York  to  advance  in  line  of  battle,  cross  the 
field  in  front,  and  relieve  a  portion  of  General  Griffin's  command, 
whose  ammunition  seemed  to  be  exhausted,  and  to  charge  the 
enemy  with  the  83d  Regiment.  At  the  same  time  I  directed 
the  1 2th  New  York  Volunteers  to  advance  to  the  left  and  check 
the  approach  of  the  enemy  and  relieve  the  4th  Michigan.  The 
gallantry  with  which  these  two  regiments,  joined  by  the  83d 
on  their  right,  obeyed  this  order  under  the  galling  fire  of  the 
enemy,  is  faithfully  set  forth  in  the  respective  reports  of  their 
commanding  officers.  The  44th  New  York  and  83d  Pennsyl 
vania  were  under  the  immediate  eye  of  the  general  command 
ing  the  corps,  who  witnessed  their  heroic  conduct. 

The  ammunition  of  my  command  was  exhausted,  and  we 
were  relieved  by  the  Irish  Brigade  and  some  troops  of  General 
Sykes.  The  i6th  Michigan  picketed  the  battlefield  after  vie- 


93  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

tory  had  crowned  the  efforts  of  our  arms.  At  the  close  of  the 
fight  and  its  decision  in  our  favor,  with  the  permission  of  the 
general  commanding  the  corps  I  placed  Lieut.-Colonel  Rich 
ardson,  of  the  1 2th  New  York  Volunteers,  senior  officer  pres 
ent,  in  command  of  the  Brigade,  who  marched  it,  by  direction 
of  General  Morell,  to  Harrison's  Landing,  where  it  arrived  at 
about  8  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  July.  I  followed  it 
a  short  time  after,  and  assumed  command  on  my  arrival  there. 
The  1 7th  New  York  Volunteers,  Colonel  Lansing,  which  had 
been  detached  on  the  26th  for  temporary  service  with  General 
Stoneman,  now  rejoined  the  command. 

The  events  of  the  2d  of  July  were  without  interest,  other  than 
the  heroism  and  devotion  shown  by  the  men,  and  their  prompt 
ness  to  resist  an  expected  attack,  after  the  seven  days  of  duty 
reported  herein,  some  of  the  time  without  food,  in  the  midst  of 
mud  and  rain  which  it  is  impossible  to  describe. 

I  would  especially  commend  to  the  most  favorable  notice  the 
conduct  of  the  following-named  officers  of  my  Brigade :  Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  Richardson,  commanding  the  I2th  New  York 
Volunteers ;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Rice,  commanding  44th  New 
York  Volunteers;  Colonel  Ruehle,  commanding  i6th  Michigan 
Volunteers,  and  Major  Welch,  of  the  same  regiment;  Captain 
Campbell,  commanding  83d  Pennsylvania  Volunteers ;  Captain 
Conner,  Company  F,  44th  New  York  Volunteers ;  Captain 
Fowler,  of  the  I2th  New  York  Volunteers,  and  Lieutenant 
Oliver,  of  the  same  regiment.  I  especially  desire  to  recom 
mend  Sergeant  W.  J.  Whittich,  of  the  83d  Pennsylvania  Volun 
teers,  who  had  displayed  great  coolness  and  bravery  before  my 
troops  became  engaged,  and  who,  in  the  midst  of  the  action, 
while  a  South  Carolina  regiment  had  piled  up  their  dead  to 
shelter  them  from  the  fire  that  our  troops  were  pouring  into 
them,  rushed  forward  in  advance  of  the  charge,  seized  the 
enemy's  colors,  and  brought  it  to  me.  Other  names,  covering 
instances  of  most  meritorious  conduct,  will  be  found  in  the  re 
ports  of  the  regimental  commanders.  I  would  also  call  atten 
tion  to  the  invaluable  services  rendered  me  during  the  day  by 
my  assistant  Adjutant-General,  Capt.  Thomas  J.  Hoyt,  and  by 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  93 

Major  Barnum,  of  the  I2th  New  York  Volunteers,  who,  dur 
ing  the  greater  portion  of  the  day  acted  as  my  aide,  and  at  the 
close  led  his  regiment  into  the  fight  and  to  the  charge,  and  was 
severely  wounded  while  thus  engaged.  His  conduct  was  most 
praiseworthy.  Privates  Robert  Mannle  and  Charles  Guyer, 
I7th  New  York  Volunteers,  musicians,  accompanied  me  during 
the  engagement  as  buglers.  Their  devotion  and  courage  de 
serve  special  commendation. 

It  is  with  a  mingled  feeling  of  sorrow  and  pride  that  I  close 
this  report.  The  plains  of  Hanover,  the  banks  of  the  Chicka- 
hominy,  the  heights  of  Malvern  are  wet  with  the  blood  of  the 
gallant  dead  of  this  Brigade.  The  list  of  casualties  is  inclosed 
herewith.  They  need  no  comment  from  me. 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD,  Brigadier-General. 

CAPTAIN  R.  T.  AUCHMUTY, 

Assistant  A djutant-General. 

The  accompanying  extracts  are  taken  from  the  reports  of 
several  officers,  commanding  regiments  in  Butterfield's  Brigade, 
which  participated  in  the  seven  days'  severe  conflicts  on  the 
Chickahominy,  between  the  armies  of  Generals  McClellan  and 
Lee.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Campbell  of  the  83d  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers,  writes : 

"A  terrific  fire  was  now  kept  up  between  the  contending 
artillerists.  The  shot  and  shell  ploughed  up  and  tore  the  earth 
and  trees  in  all  directions.  Many  of  our  men  were  becoming 
wounded  and  carried  to  the  rear,  when  our  Brigadier-General 
Butterfield  came  galloping  furiously  along  and  called  out  for 
the  83d,  and  in  a  few,  but  very  appropriate  words,  appealed  to 
their  valor,  ending  his  speech  with :  'Eighty-third,  you'll  be 
called  on  presently;  when  you  advance,  let  your  war  cry  be 
Revenge  for  McLane.' '; 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Richardson,  in  command  of  the  I2th 
New  York  Regiment,  writes : 

"Throughout  both  days,  and  particularly  when  the  heaviest 
cannonading  was  going  on,  the  activity  and  spirit  of  our  Gen- 


9-±  GENEKAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 

eral  gave  life  and  confidence  to  the  officers  and  men  of  my 
command,  and  wherever  he  rode,  out  or  in,  watching  the  prog 
ress  of  the  fight,  his  presence  was  hailed  by  the  men  with 
enthusiasm." 

The  commanding  officer  of  the  83d  Pennsylvania  Infantry, 
already  quoted,  writes,  in  his  report: 

"At  this  moment  Brigadier-General  Butterfield,  amidst  a 
galling  fire  from  his  lines  of  support  in  rear  and  that  of  the 
enemy  in  front,  came  coolly  down  the  knoll,  and  sword  in  hand 
seized  our  colors,  waved  them  repeatedly  aloft,  and  by  all  mor 
tal  means  encouraged  the  valor  of  our  regiment.  His  presence 
at  once  stimulated  with  new  vigor  our  now  thinned  ranks,  when 
he  (the  General)  loudly  shouted  out:  'Your  ammunition  is 
never  expended  while  you  have  your  bayonets;  and  use  them 
to  the  socket,  my  boys !'  " 

Describing  the  seven  days'  conflict  on  the  Chickahominy,  be 
fore  Richmond,  General  Oliver,  in  his  reminiscences  of  Butter- 
field,  writes : 

"From  Yorktown  he  marched  the  Brigade  to  Games'  Mill, 
on  the  Chickahominy,  and  fought  the  battle  of  Hanover  Court 
House  in  May.  On  the  2/th  of  June  he  fought  his  Brigade  in 
the  battle  of  Games'  Mill,  where  he  occupied  the  extreme  left 
of  Porter's  Corps.  He  skilfully  placed  his  Brigade  on  a  slope, 
the  83d  and  44th  below,  and  the  I2th  and  i6th  Michigan  above. 
By  this  formation  the  enemy  received  the  fire  of  two  regiments 
at  a  time,  which  they  were  unable  to  withstand  in  their  charges, 
and  were  repulsed  each  time,  with  terrible  loss.  In  this  bat 
tle  he  constantly  moved  along  the  line  of  fire,  animating  and 
encouraging  his  troops.  In  the  morning,  when  our  lines  were 
formed,  General  Butterfield  advised  General  Martindale,  who 
commanded  the  Brigade  on  our  right,  to  strengthen  his  line 
with  a  battery  or  two,  considering  his  line  weak,  but  General 
Martindale  said  he  could  hold  his  position  against  any  force 
that  might  come  against  him.  After  successfully  repelling 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  95 

every  charge  made  upon  Butterfield's  Brigade  all  day,  the 
enemy  finally  broke  through  Martindale's  Brigade,  at  our  right, 
at  the  point  General  Butterfield  had  suggested  to  General  Mar- 
tindale  to  strengthen  with  artillery.  Butterfield's  Brigade  was 
then  compelled  to  retire,  and  for  the  moment  was  in  confusion. 
The  83d  below  us  was  almost  surrounded  and  lost  heavily;  it 
was  called  upon  to  surrender,  but  refused.  General  Butter- 
field  rallied  the  troops  along  a  fence  behind  a  battery  of  20- 
pound  Parrots  and  a  regular  battery  of  artillery. 

"From  Games'  Mill  the  Brigade  marched  to  Savage  Station, 
White  Oak  Swamp  and  Malvern.  At  Malvern  General  Butter- 
field  marched  his  Brigade  into  action  with  colors  flying  and 
bands  playing.  In  this  battle  he  inflicted  great  loss  on  the 
enemy,  who  impetuously  charged  his  front.  It  was  reported 
at  the  time  that  Kearny,  Hooker  and  Butterfield  strongly  urged 
that  the  enemy  be  pursued  to  Richmond,  and  the  victory  of 
Malvern  followed  up." 

"At  Harrison's  Landing/'  continues  the  General's  Memoran 
dum  of  Military  Service,  "I  received  a  furlough  of  twenty  days 
in  consequence  of  an  attack  of  typhoid  fever,  contracted  in  the 
Chickahominy.  Returning  to  my  command  I  crossed  to  the 
south  side  of  James  River,  at  Coggin's  Point,  with  instructions 
to  intrench  and  hold  the  position,  designated  by  Captain  Duane, 
Chief  of  Engineers,  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Elder's  Battery, 
U.  S.  Artillery,  and  a  detachment  of  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  un 
der  Major  Covode,  were  temporarily  added  to  my  command 
for  this  duty. 

"Information  received  at  Headquarters,  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac,  led  to  the  belief  that  the  forces  of  the  enemy  had  col 
lected  about  Coggin's  Point  and  Court  House.  Was  ordered  to 
move  out,  attack  and  disperse  this  force.  Marched  out  ac 
cordingly  with  the  Brigade  and  Battery,  and  found  the  force  of 
the  enemy  to  consist  of  only  a  few  cavalry,  who  fled  at  our  ap 
proach.  Nearly  one  thousand  contrabands  came  into  my  lines 
while  on  this  duty.  I  remained  there  one  week.  I  then  re 
turned  to  camp  at  Harrison's  Landing. 


96  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

"The  orders  under  which  we  marched  from  the  camp  on  the 
29th  of  August  were  verbal  orders,  received  at  3  o'clock  a.  m. 
From  this  I  understood  that  the  Fifth  Corps  was  ordered  back 
to  Centerville.  Under  these  orders,  being  so  directed,  I  led  the 
movement  with  the  Third  Brigade,  First  Division  of  that  Corps. 
On  my  approach  to  the  road  leading  to  the  old  Bull  Run  battle 
ground,  I  learned,  accidentally,  that  our  army  was  being  placed 
in  a  position  for  a  general  engagement;  that  the  battle  was 
likely  to  take  place ;  that  some  of  General  Sykes'  Division,  pre 
ceding  me,  had  gone  in  that  direction.  I  therefore  turned  from 
the  direct  road  to  Centerville  and  marched  on  to  that  field  upon 
my  own  responsibility.  The  Division  Commander  remained 
at  the  rear  of  the  Division  with  General  Griffin's  Brigade,  which 
was  covering  their  withdrawal.  On  my  arrival  on  the  field,  I 
found  that  the  First  Brigade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Roberts, 
had  followed  me;  that  General  Morell,  commanding  the  Divi 
sion,  with  General  Griffin's  Brigade — probably  under  the  same 
understanding  that  I  had  as  to  the  destination  of  the  command 
—had  proceeded  direct  to  Centerville  with  General  Griffin's 
Brigade.  I  assumed  command  of  the  Division,  now  consisting 
of  the  two  Brigades,  and  was  directed  by  Major-General  Por 
ter  to  take  a  position  on  the  Gainesville  Turnpike. 

"During  the  day  I  received  an  order,  of  which  the  following 
is  a  copy : 

HEADQUARTERS,  NEAR  GROVETON, 

August  30,  1862,  12  o'clock,  M. 

Special  Order  No.  — 

The  following  forces  will  be  immediately  thrown  forward 
and  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  and  press  him  vigorously  during 
the  whole  day.  Major-General  McDowell  is  assigned  to  the 
command  of  the  pursuit.  Major-General  Porter's  Corps  will 
push  forward  on  the  Warrenton  Turnpike,  followed  by  the 
Divisions  of  Brigadier-Generals  King  and  Reynolds. 

The  Division  of  Brigadier-General  Ricketts  will  pursue  the 
Haymarket  Road,  followed  by  the  Corps  of  Major-General 
Heintzelman ;  the  necessary  cavalry  will  be  assigned  to  these 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  9? 

columns  by  Major-General  McDowell,  to  whom  regular  and 
frequent  reports  will  be  made.     The  General  Headquarters  will 
be  somewhere  on  the  Warrenton  Turnpike. 
By  command  of  Major-General  Pope. 

GEORGE  D.  RUGGLES, 

Colonel  and  Chief  of  Staff. 

"With  an  order  from  Major-General  Porter  to  make  an  at 
tack  in  front  of  the  position  I  held,  in  attacking,  to  advance 
my  right  to  carry  a  position  about  half  to  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  in  front  of  my  left,  which  was  crowned  with  artillery. 
Between  my  lines  and  this  battery  was  a  railroad  cut  or  em 
bankment,  which  was  held  by  the  enemy.  General  Porter 
stated  to  me  that  I  would  have  a  support  on  my  right  in  this 
movement  by  General  Hatch.  I  advanced  a  strong  line  of 
skirmishers,  swinging  forward  the  right  in  accordance  with 
the  instructions  governing  my  attack.  Three  times  this  line 
moved  forward  gallantly  on  the  right,  and  as  often  returned, 
rinding  themselves,  in  every  instance,  after  a  short  defence, 
enfiladed  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy  on  my  right.  No  succor 
had  yet  arrived.  There  were  no  troops  to  move  on  my  right. 
My  skirmishers  reported  the  enemy  in  strong  force,  in  the 
woods  in  front  of  the  position  to  which  I  had  advanced.  I 
made  a  personal  examination,  and  arrived  at  the  conclusion 
that  it  would  be  but  a  waste  of  life  for  me  to  attack  the  enemy 
with  the  force  I  then  had.  That  the  enemy,  instead  of  re 
treating,  as  the  orders  contemplated,  were  in  full  force  and 
waiting  an  attack.  I  communicated  these  views  to  Major- 
General  Porter.  In  reply,  I  received  an  order  that  the  attack 
must  be  made.  The  troops  of  General  Hatch  came  up  on  mv 
right,  apparently  in  some  confusion — some  of  them  in  rear  of 
my  lines.  I  considered  my  orders  of  so  positive  a  nature  that 
I  could  not  delay  on  this  account.  I  formed  the  Division,  and 
made  the  attack  boldly  and  vigorously.  The  attacking  columns 
were  led  by  the  i8th  Massachusetts,  Colonel  Roberts'  Brigade, 
and  the  I7th  New  York,  of  the  3d — my  old  Brigade.  The 
enemy's  skirmishers  were  repeatedly  driven  in.  His  first  line 


98  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

was  broken ;  a  number  of  sharpshooters  that  had  been  placed  in 
the  trees  were  captured  and  killed.  But  my  force  was  entirely 
inadequate  to  the  task  that  was  assigned  it.  My  troops  held 
their  ground  in  the  face  of  a  galling  fire,  until  they  were  or 
dered  to  withdraw. 

"Of  about  2,500  men  for  duty  in  these  two  Brigades,  over 
1,250  were  killed,  wounded  and  missing.  Twenty-five  color- 
bearers  were  shot  down  while  gallantly  discharging  their  duty, 
but  not  a  color  was  lost !  The  brave  soldiers  sprang  imme 
diately  to  the  posts  of  those  who  had  fallen,  and  the  ammunition 
being  exhausted  the  Division  marched  off  the  field  in  admirable 
order,  considering  the  fierceness  of  the  engagement  and  the 
heaviness  of  the  loss. 

"Every  officer  and  man  of  that  Division  engaged  on  that 
day  deserves  the  highest  credit. 

"The  regiments  were  the  2d  Maine,  Colonel  Roberts,  who 
commanded  the  Brigade;  the  i8th  Massachusetts,  commanded 
by  Captain  -  — ;  the  25th  New  York,  Col.  C.  A.  Johnson ; 
the  22d  Massachusetts,  Colonel  Tilton ;  the  I3th  New  York, 
Colonel  Marshall;  the  ist  Michigan,  Colonel  Roberts;  the  I7th 
New  York,  Major  Grower;  the  i6th  Michigan,  Major  Welch; 
the  83d  Pennsylvania,  Colonel  Campbell ;  the  44th  New  York, 
Colonel  Rice;  the  i2th  New  York,  Colonel  Weeks;  Colonel 
Berdan's  Sharpshooters;  Battery  'D,'  5th  Artillery,  Lieutenant 
Haslitt;  Battery  'C,'  Massachusetts  Artillery,  and  Battery  'C,' 
Rhode  Island  Artillery. 

"I  mention  these  regiments  and  batteries  by  name  for  the 
reason  that  in  the  official  report  of  the  campaign  in  Virginia, 
under  Major-General  Pope,  no  recognition  of  the  services  per 
formed  on  that  day  has  ever  been  made.  The  difficulties  that 
arose  between  Generals  Pope  and  Porter  in  that  campaign  un 
fortunately  resulted  in  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Division  I 
commanded  being  deprived  of  the  just  recognition  due,  and 
expected,  by  all  soldiers  for  such  services.  This  must  be  my 
apology  for  alluding  to  this  subject  at  such  length  in  my 
personal  report. 

"In  the  same  connection  I  would  respectfully  call  attention  to 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD  99 

the  reports  of  Colonel  (now  Major-General)  G.  K.  Warren, 
commanding  a  Brigade;  Major-Gen.  George  Sykes,  command 
ing  Division,  on  that  day.  The  extracts  are  appended  to  this 
Report  and  marked  'A'  and  'B,'  respectively. 

"Toward  the  evening  of  the  3Oth  of  August,  Major-General 
Morell  arrived  on  the  ground  as  the  two  Brigades  were  march 
ing  off  the  immediate  scene  of  conflict,  and  relieved  me  of  the 
command.  I  then  resumed  command  of  my  Brigade. 

"On  the  ist  or  2cl  of  September  the  Brigade  marched  from 
Centerville  to  Fairfax  Court  House,  and  thence,  after  a  halt, 
by  way  of  Vienna,  to  the  vicinity  of  Drainesville ;  from  thence 
to  Hall's  Hill,  to  the  camping  grounds  we  had  left  in  March, 
1862.  From  Hall's  Hill  we  moved  to  the  vicinity  of  Fairfax 
Seminary,  near  Alexandria,  where  I  was  again  taken  with 
fever. 

"During  this  illness,  while  unable  to  leave  the  house  of  Gen 
eral  Kearny,  I  was  tendered  the  command  of  General  Kear- 
ny's  old  Division,  by  Major-General  McClellan,  and  of  a 
Division  of  Pennsylvania  troops,  by  Major-General  Porter. 
My  illness  compelled  me  to  lose  both  these  commands.  Sub 
sequently,  say  about  the  6th  of  September,  I  received  a  fur 
lough  of  thirty  days,  which  was  extended.  I  returned  to 
Washington  early  in  October,  and  was  detained  as  a  witness  for 
a  few  days  before  a  court  of  inquiry  in  the  case  of  Brigadier- 
General  Martindale — President,  General  Harney.  Reported  to 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  on  the  25th  day  of  October,  and  I 
was  assigned  to  command  of  the  First  Division,  Fifth  Army 
Corps,  assuming  command  November  i,  1862,  near  Harper's 
Ferry,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Potomac." 

The  minutes  of  the  meeting  of  the  Third  Brigade  Associa 
tion,  formed  in  Washington,  D.  C,  in  September,  1892,  records 
these  among  other  notable  facts:  "In  our  gathering  of  to-day 
we  have  some  pride  in  the  fact  that  we  belong  to  a  brigade  that 
fired  the  first  gun  at  Yorktown  and  the  very  last  at  Appomat- 
tox.  Through  its  lines  came  the  flag  of  truce,  signifying  the 
surrender  of  the  army  of  northern  Virginia,  and  to  this  bri 
gade  was  accorded  the  honor  of  receiving  the  guns  and  colors 


100  GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

of  the  soldiers  who  followed  Lee  to  Appomattox."  General 
Butterfield  was  the  first  commander  of  this  hard-fighting  bri 
gade,  and  he  led  it  through  the  Peninsular  campaign,  from 
Yorktown  to  Richmond,  and  from  Hanover  Court  House  to 
Malvern  Hill,  and  until  July  31,  1862 — a  period  embracing 
some  of  the  bloodiest  conflicts  of  the  war.  The  story  of  the 
brigade  is  one  of  valor  unsurpassed,  and  General  Butterfield,  as 
president  of  the  association,  gave  eloquent  and  tender  expres 
sion  to  his  sentiments  in  his  address  on  the  occasion  referred  to. 
Some  extracts  from  his  speech  are  given  here: 

"Around  the  old  Third  Brigade  cluster  some  of  the  most 
glorious  memories  of  the  war.  Every  soldier  who  served  in  its 
ranks  cherishes  a  hearty  love  and  pride  for  it  and  its  history. 
Hundreds  of  those  who  joined  its  ranks  long  after  I  had  been 
promoted  to  other  commands  and  fields  of  duty  have,  since  the 
war,  touched  my  heart  in  a  tender  spot  when  they  spoke  of  the 
brigade,  and  coupled  my  name  with  it  and  its  record,  as 
though  I  had  always  been  with  it  and  of  it.  Well,  I  am  still. 
Since  serving  with  the  brigade,  one  hundred  times  at  least  in 
travels  during  the  past  thirty  years  in  many  different  States 
of  the  Union,  and  sometimes  abroad,  have  the  familiar  notes  of 
the  Brigade  call  I  gave  you  been  softly  whistled  at  me  from 
a  railway  station  or  a  roadside  by  some  one  of  our  comrades, 
sometimes  in  doubt  whether  they  really  saw  their  old  com 
mander  and  whether  to  speak  to  him.  The  call  never  failed 
in  its  purpose ;  to  this  day  I  recognize  and  answer  it  as  you  did 
of  old.  There  are  many  stirring  incidents  in  the  Brigade's 
history  which  I  hope  you  will  work  out  and  show  to  all  the 
men  and  their  descendants.  One  of  its  regiments  was  ordered 
to  lead  the  first  advance  across  the  Long  Bridge  into  Virginia, 
and  two  companies  of  the  same  men  and  regiment  were  among 
those  who  received  the  arms  and  colors  of  Lee's  soldiers  at 
Appomattox.  The  Brigade  captured  the  first  guns  in  battle 
captured  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  at  Hanover  Court 
House,  and  received  the  last  shot  fired  from  the  enemy's  guns 
at  Appomattox.  The  ability  of  the  Brigade  to  move,  by  its 
superior  training  and  efficiency,  enabled  it  to  reach  and  hold 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 


101 


Round  Top  at  Gettysburg.  Who  shall  measure,  what  ,,that 
means?  I  confess,  with  proud  satisfaction,  that  I  glory  in-hav-. 
ing  organized,  drilled  and  trained  for  war  and  eoiriraanced  in- 
war,  until  promoted  from  it,  a  Brigade  that  never  once  failed 
in  the  full  discharge  of  its  duty,  was  never  behind  time,  was 
always  ready,  and  always  held  its  own ;  never  had  a  discredit 
able  nor  dishonorable  act  nor  stain  of  the  slightest  kind  upon 
its  colors,  nor  that  of  any  of  its  regiments." 

Among  the  orders  issued  by  the  new  commander  of  the  First 
Division,  the  one  which  follows  was  found  among  his  papers : 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIRST  DIVISION,  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 
CAMP  NEAR  WARRENTON,  VA.,  Nov.  15,  1862. 

Circular. 
FORM  i.  FORM  2.  FORM  3. 


1st.    First  Brigade. 
BATTERY. 
(25  Minutes.) 

1st.    Second  Brigade. 
BATTERY. 
(25  Minutes.) 

1st.    Third  Brigade. 
BATTERY. 
(25  Minutes.) 

2d.    Second  Brigade. 
BATTERY. 
(25  Minutes.) 

2d.    Third  Brigade. 
BATTERY. 
(25  Minutes.  ) 

2d.    1st  U.  S.  S.  S. 
BATTERY. 

(10  Minutes.) 

3d.    Third  Brigade. 
BATTERY. 
(25  Minutes.) 

3d.    1st.  U.  S.  S.  S. 
BATTERY. 
(10  Minutes.) 

3d.    First  Brigade. 
BATTERY. 
(25  Minutes.) 

4th.    1st  U.  S.  S.  S. 
BATTERY. 

4th.    First  Brigade. 
BATTERY. 

4th.    Second  Brigade. 
BATTERY. 

5th.    Ambulances. 

5th.    Ambulances. 

5th.    Ambulances. 

FORM  4. 


FORM  5. 


FORM  6. 


1st.    1st.  U.S.  S.  S. 

1st.    First  Brigade. 

1st.    All  the  Batteries. 

BATTERY. 

(20  Minutes.) 

(20  Minutes.) 

(10  Minutes.) 

2d.    1st  U.  S.  S.  S. 

2nd.    Third  Brigade. 

2d.    First  Brigade. 

(5  Minutes.) 

(20  Minutes.) 

BATTERY. 

(25  Minutes.) 

3d.    All  the  Batteries. 

3d.    Second  Brigade. 

(20  Minutes.) 

(20  Minutes.) 

3d.    Second  Brigade. 

BATTERY. 

4th.    Second  Brigade. 

4th.    First  Brigade. 

(25  Minutes.) 

(20  Minutes.) 

(20  Minutes.) 

4th.    Third  Brigade. 

5th.    Third  Brigade. 

5th.    1st  U.  S.  S.  S. 

BATTERIES. 

6th.    Ambulances. 

5th.    Ambulances. 

102  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 


unless  otherwise  specially  ordered,  this  Divi 
sion.  will  march  in  the  order  indicated  in  one  of  the  above  six 
forms..  ,X'he  'forjn  and  hour  of  march  being  indicated,  the  dif 
ferent  intervals  of  time  stated  in  the  form  will  elapse  between 
the  starting  of  each  command. 

II.  —  The  Chief  of  Artillery  of  the  Division  will  assign  the 
Batteries  for  the  march.     The  Batteries  will  be  ready  at  the 
time,  according  to  the  form,  for  the  Brigade  they  follow,  and 
start  and  report  to  it. 

III.  —  The  forms  for  march  will  be  preserved  ready  at  hand, 
to  prevent  any  misunderstanding  as  to  orders. 

Brigade  Commanders  will  be  held  responsible  for  the  ob 
servance  of  the  rules  laid  down,  and  for  having  their  com 
mands  formed,  ready  to  start  according  to  the  hour  indicated 
by  the  form  and  the  hour  of  starting.  They  will  also  fix  the 
hours  for  the  "General  Assembly"  and  the  "Color"  ;  these  calls 
will  always  be  sounded. 

IV.  —  Brigades  behind  their  time  and  delaying  the  march  will 
be  given  an  extra  portion  of  guard  duty  from  the  roster  (see 
General  Order  No.  54,  from  Division  Headquarters,  November 
4th),  relieving  the  other  Brigades  for  such  number  of  days  as 
may  be  directed. 

V.  —  All  Officers  will  remain  constantly  at  their  posts  during 
the  march.     Captains  will  march  at  the  rear  of  their  Companies 
when  at  "route  step." 

VI.  —  Commanding  Officers  of  Regiments,  assisted  by  their 
Adjutants,  will  move  from  one  part  to  another,  as  their  pres 
ence  may  be  required,  for  the  preservation  of  order  and  the  pre 
vention  of  straggling,  changing  the  formation  from  column  to 
flank,  and  vice  -versa,  when  necessary. 

The  Officer  commanding  the  leading  Brigade,  unless  other 
wise  ordered,  will  sound  the  "halt"  half  an  hour  after  the  col 
umn  has  started,  and  once  every  hour  afterward,  giving  a  rest 
of  five  minutes  each  time.  The  Brigades  will  double  up  in 
fields,  or  on  the  roadside,  at  all  their  halts. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  103 

VII. — Special  instructions  will  be  given  for  the  trains.  When 
not  otherwise  ordered,  they  will  march  in  the  order  of  the  col 
umn  at  the  rear  of  the  whole.  The  Division,  Ordnance  and 
Supply  trains  follow  those  of  the  Brigades. 

VIII. — One  Headquarter  Wagon,  and  one  only,  for  each 
Brigade  Commander,  and  one  for  the  Batteries,  will  be  al 
lowed  to  march  with  the  troops.  All  other  must  move  with 
the  trains. 

IX. — Ambulances  marching  with  the  Regiments  will  not  be 
used  for  carrying  baggage,  or  articles  of  any  description,  ex 
cept  those  ordered  or  permitted  to  ride  in  them  by  Surgeons. 
Transport  Carts  will  not  carry  private  baggage  of  any  Officer, 
and  will  not  be  used  for  any  other  purposes  than  those  to  be 
indicated  by  the  Medical  Director  of  the  Division  in  an  order  to 
Brigade  and  Regimental  Surgeons  through  their  proper 
Commanders. 

X. — Regimental  Brigade  and  Division  Rear  Guards  will  be 
detailed  by  the  respective  Commanders,  with  orders  to  push  for 
ward  all  stragglers,  and  permit  no  one  to  fall  to  the  rear,  or 
out  to  the  right  or  left  of  the  column.  The  different  Rear 
Guards  will  also  prevent  all  straggling  to  the  front. 

XI. — The  only  exception  to  the  above  will  be  in  favor  of 
those  having  a  Surgeon's  certificate  or  ticket.  The  Company 
rolls  will  be  called  before  and  after  all  marches,  and  each  Regi 
ment  will  post  a  guard  immediately  upon  its  arrival  in  camp. 

XII. — Men  found  without  a  pass  from  the  Commanding 
Officer  of  their  Regiment,  visiting  barns,  outhouses  or  private 
dwellings,  foraging,  going  from  one  Brigade  to  another,  or 
wandering  anywhere  out  of  the  column  or  camp,  will  be  ar 
rested  and  punished. 

Brigade  Provost  Guards  will  also  be  used  for  the  same 
purpose. 

A  copy  of  this  Circular  will  be  furnished  each  Regimental 
Commander. 

By  command  of  BRIGADIER-GENERAL  BUTTERFIELD. 

H.  W.  PERKINS,  Lt.  and  A.  A.  A.  G. 


104  GENEKAL   DANIEL   BUTTEBPIELD 

An  army  correspondent  writes  as  follows,  from : 

"!N  CAMP,  NEAR  WARRENTON  JUNC.,  VA.,  Nov.  17,  1862. 

"And  again,  after  eight  days,  occupying  the  same  camp 
ground,  we  are  on  the  move.  In  those  eight  days  important 
events  have  occurred.  The  old  commander-in-chief  of  the 
army  has  been  removed ;  a  new  commander  has  been  placed  at 
its  head ;  there  have  been  changes  in  commanders  of  corps  and 
divisions,  and  there  have  been  disaffection  among  officers  and 
men,  and  talks  of  mutiny.  Many  prophesied  the  ruin  of  the 
army,  general  resignations  and  wholesale  rebellion.  How  is  it 
now?  All  those  pratings  and  forebodings  have  proved  idle 
tales.  General  Burnside  has  the  unbounded  confidence  and 
love  of  the  army,  General  Hooker  is  esteemed  as  much  as  a 
general  can  be  by  all  in  his  command,  and  General  Butterfield, 
the  new  commander  of  the  Fifth  Army  Corps,  is  everywhere 
praised." 

To  this  prominent  position  the  young  General  was  promoted 
November  i6th.  In  his  Memorandum  of  Military  Service, 
Butterfield  writes : 

"On  the  1 6th  of  November,  1862,  by  seniority  in  pursuance 
of  General  Order  No.  184,  organizing  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
into  Grand  Divisions,  I  assumed  command  of  the  Fifth  Army 
Corps.  On  the  following  day  we  marched  to  Hartwood 
Church,  then  to  Potomac  Creek,  covering  the  rear  of  the  army, 
and  arriving  there  November  22d.  On  the  I3th  of  December 
commanded  the  Corps  in  the  disastrous  battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg,  covering  the  withdrawal  of  Burnside's  Army  from  Fred- 
ericksburg  on  the  morning  of  the  i6th,  and  resuming  our  old 
camp  at  Potomac  Creek.  On  December  3Oth,  I  received  a  fur 
lough  of  twenty  days  on  account  of  illness,  which  was  ex 
tended  for  ten  days.  Before  its  expiration  I  reported  for  duty 
to  General  Burnside,  commanding  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  was  by  him  assigned  to  temporary  duty  at  his  headquar 
ters  during  the  last  movements  made  by  him  while  in  com 
mand  of  that  army." 

Of  his  part  in  the  most  disastrous  battle  that  occurred  in  the 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  105 

history  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  General  Butterfield  made 
the  following  official  report : 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

December  16,  1862. 

COLONEL — The  Fifth  Army  Corps,  under  my  command, 
broke  camp  on  the  morning  of  December  1 1,  and  marched  to  the 
left  bank  of  the  Rappahannock.  The  Divisions  moved  in  three 
separate  lines,  the  Second  Division  (General  Sykes)  on  the 
right  by  the  Stafford  Road;  the  First  Division  (General  Griffin) 
on  the  left,  and  to  the  left  of  the  road  passing  from  camp  to  the 
Phillips  house,  and  the  Third  Division  (General  Humphreys) 
in  the  center,  on  a  route  to  the  right  of  that  taken  by  General 
Griffin. 

In  compliance  with  instructions  previously  received,  the  ap 
proaches  to  a  position  at  the  river  had  been  selected  and  as 
signed  to  the  Divisions  as  above.  The  artillery  moved  in  the 
rear  of  the  Divisions,  with  the  exception  of  two  batteries — 
Hazlett's  Battery  (D),  5th  U.  S.  Artillery,  and  Waterman's 
Battery  (C),  Rhode  Island  Artillery — which  had  been  detached 
by  order  of  the  Chief  of  Artillery  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
The  commands  were  provided  with  three  days'  cooked  rations, 
in  haversacks,  and  forage  for  the  animals  with  batteries.  The 
command  bivouacked  on  the  nights  of  the  nth  and  I2th  near 
the  river  bank,  waiting  completion  of  the  bridges  and  crossing 
of  the  troops  preceding. 

About  2  p.  m.  on  the  I3th,  we  were  ordered  to  cross  the 
river.  The  Divisions  crossed  on  the  pontoon  bridges  laid  op 
posite  Fredericksburg,  immediately,  in  the  following  order: 
Sykes'  on  the  right,  Griffin's  on  the  left,  and  Humphreys'  in 
the  center.  Upon  our  arrival  in  Fredericksburg  the  streets 
were  somewhat  obstructed. 

At  about  3  p.  m.  Griffin's  Division  was  ordered  to  the  rear  of 
Fredericksburg,  in  front  of  the  enemy's  works,  to  support  Gen 
eral  Sturgis'  command.  A  few  moments  after,  in  compliance 
with  orders  received,  he  relieved  General  Sturgis.  General 
Humphreys  moved  up  to  the  junction  of  Hanover  Street  and 


106  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

the  Orange  Turnpike,  General  Sykes  close  in  his  rear.  General 
Humphreys'  Division  was  formed  on  the  left  of  the  Culpeper 
Road  by  brigade  front;  General  Sykes  on  the  right  of  the 
Culpeper  Road. 

I  was  ordered  to  attack  and  break  the  enemy's  line  and  carry 
the  heights  in  our  front.  The  crowded  state  of  the  streets  of 
Fredericksburg  prevented  the  crossing  of  all  the  artillery. 
Such  portions  of  it  as  had  crossed  the  river,  including  Hazard's 
Battery,  which  was  formed  in  the  street,  on  the  left  of  Hano 
ver  Street,  were  placed  in  position  on  the  right  and  left  of  the 
point  of  attack,  and  ordered  to  open  a  concentrated  fire  upon 
the  enemy's  lines  during  the  formation  of  the  infantry,  as 
heretofore  stated. 

The  enemy  was  posted  on  his  first  line  securely  behind  a 
stone  wall,  near  the  foot  of  a  crest,  which  was  covered  with 
batteries.  The  position  of  those  batteries  enabled  the  enemy 
to  direct  a  severe  crossfire  of  artillery  upon  the  heads  of  the 
columns.  The  enemy's  position  was  one  of  exceeding  strength, 
and  his  troops  were  well  protected.  During  all  the  movements 
and  formations  the  columns  were  subjected  to  a  heavy  fire. 
While  endeavoring  to  force  their  way  with  powder  and  ball, 
no  apparent  advantage  was  gained.  Orders  were  given  to  carry 
the  heights  with  the  bayonets.  General  Sykes  was  ordered  to 
form  a  column  of  attack  on  the  right  of  Humphreys.  The  at 
tack  of  Humphreys'  and  Griffin's  Divisions  was  made  with  a 
spirit  and  efficiency  scarcely,  if  ever,  equaled  in  the  records  of 
this  war ;  but  the  attack  was  made  against  a  position  so  advan 
tageous  and  strong  to  the  enemy  that  it  failed. 

General  Humphreys'  Division  having  been  repulsed,  fell 
back.  General  Sykes  was  immediately  ordered  to  change  his 
dispositions,  to  cover  his  own  ground  and  that  upon  which 
Humphreys  had  attacked.  General  Humphreys  was  ordered  to 
form  in  the  rear  of  him.  General  Griffin  fell  back,  but  shortly 
after  advanced  to  the  extreme  front,  which  he  had  gained,  and 
held  his  position.  The  reports  of  the  division  commanders  set 
forth  in  detail  the  order  and  character  of  their  respective  move 
ments.  Sykes'  Division  was  directed  to  hold  the  line  in  the 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  107 

rear  of  the  ditch  (marked  B  on  the  map  accompanying  this 
report).  General  Griffin  continued  the  line  on  the  left,  con 
necting  with  the  Ninth  Army  Corps;  Allabach's  Brigade,  of 
General  Humphreys',  in  the  rear  of  Major  Andrews'  Brigade, 
at  a  point  marked  F  on  the  map,  and  Andrews'  and  Stockton's 
brigades,  at  a  point  marked  C  on  the  map. 

Late  at  night  I  received  orders  from  the  Major-General 
commanding  to  have  these  troops  take  an  advanced  position, 
where  some  portions  of  General  Couch's  Corps  were  lying  down 
in  front  of  the  ditch,  which  position  was  accordingly  taken. 
The  Brigades  of  Colonel  Buchanan  and  Major  Andrews,  in 
General  Sykes'  Division,  and  Colonel  Stockton's,  in  General 
Griffin's,  held  this  line  within  close  range  of  the  enemy's  posi 
tion  behind  the  stone  wall  (marked  D  on  the  map),  for  twenty- 
four  hours  following,  on  the  I4th.  A  more  severe  test  of  the 
discipline  and  efficiency  of  these  commands  could  not  have 
been  made. 

At  noon  on  the  I5th,  that  portion  of  Fredericksburg  bounded 
by  Hanover  Street  on  the  left,  and  the  Rappahannock  River  on 
the  right,  was  assigned  to  me,  to  be  put  in  a  state  of  defense  and 
held.  Gen.  Whipple's  Division  was  ordered  to  me  for  this  duty. 

The  different  portions  of  the  line  of  defense  were  apportioned 
according  to  the  strength  of  the  various  Divisions :  General 
Whipple  on  the  right,  from  the  river  to  the  junction  of  the  canal 
and  Fall  Hill  Road;  General  Griffin  on  his  left,  to  Fauquier 
Street ;  General  Humphreys  on  General  Griffin's  left,  to  Amelia 
Street,  and  General  Sykes  on  General  Humphreys'  left,  to 
Hanover  Street,  his  left  connecting  with  the  command  of  Gen 
eral  Couch,  who  had  been  intrusted  with  the  remaining  portions 
of  the  defenses  of  the  town.  General  Warren  was  charged 
with  the  construction  of  the  barricades  and  earthworks.  Cap 
tain  Weed,  Chief  of  Artillery  of  the  Corps,  was  charged  with 
the  distribution  and  disposition  of  the  artillery. 

As  soon  as  darkness  permitted,  the  work  was  carried  on  as 
rapidly  as  the  limited  number  of  implements  at  hand  and  to 
be  obtained  would  allow.  No  work  could  be  done  before  dark. 

The  Divisions  were  assigned  to  various  portions  of  the  town, 


108  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

in  accordance  with  the  orders  given  them  to  move  to  the  proper 
relief  or  support  without  confusion. 

At  about  10  o'clock  at  night,  the  main  body,  assigned  to  the 
portion  of  the  town  on  the  left  of  Hanover  Street,  was  with 
drawn,  and  the  defense  of  the  entire  town  was  assigned  to  me. 
I  was  directed  to  relieve  the  pickets  on  the  left  of  Hanover 
Street. 

The  darkness  and  the  wearied  condition  of  both  officers  and 
men  of  the  command,  incident  to  exposure  and  the  duties  per 
formed  since  breaking  camp,  made  this  a  severe  task  upon 
them.  Generals  Griffin  and  Humphreys  were  withdrawn  from 
the  right  and  assigned  to  the  line  from  Hanover  Street  to  the 
left.  General  Sykes  and  General  Whipple  covered  the  line 
from  which  the  other  two  divisions  were  withdrawn.  The 
alacrity  with  which  these  orders  were  obeyed  was  most  praise 
worthy. 

At  3.30  a.  m.  orders  came  to  withdraw  the  command  from 
Fredericksburg  and  recross  the  river,  covering  the  withdrawal 
of  the  bridges.  Captain  Weed  was  directed  to  move  all  the 
artillery  immediately;  the  provost-guard  ordered  to  patrol  the 
town ;  wake  up  all  stragglers ;  search  all  alleyways  and  by 
ways,  and  make  every  possible  exertion  to  get  all  absentees 
to  their  commands.  Precise  and  detailed  orders  in  writing 
were  given  for  the  withdrawal  of  the  forces.  Under  direction 
of  General  Sykes,  one  of  his  Brigades  covered  the  whole.  The 
order  was  carried  out  in  the  most  admirable  manner.  No  con 
fusion  occurred;  no  haste  or  disorder. 

Contrary  to  my  understanding,  and  without  notice,  the  en 
gineers  in  charge  took  up  two  of  the  pontoon  bridges  before 
all  the  troops  directed  to  cross  them  had  done  so.  This  action 
necessitated  a  change  in  the  order  of  withdrawal,  which  was 
made  properly  and  without  confusion.  It  was  a  most  fortunate 
circumstance  that  this  unwarrantable  blunder  caused  no  confu 
sion.  The  bridges  were  immediately  ordered  to  be  relaid,  and 
the  crossing  continued  successfully. 

Colonel  Buchanan's  Brigade,  of  Sykes'  Division,  crossed  last, 
at  about  8  a.  m.,  in  most  excellent  order.  Several  boatloads 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  109 

of  stragglers  were  brought  over  after  the  taking  up  of  the 
bridges,  which  was  completed  at  9  a.  m.  My  command  was 
two  hours  longer  in  retiring  from  the  position  in  front  of  the 
enemy  to  the  left  bank  of  the  river  than  it  was  in  crossing  from 
the  left  bank  on  the  I3th  and  engaging  with  the  enemy.  I  can 
give  no  better  commentary  than  this  upon  the  spirit  which 
animated  all  in  the  performance  of  their  duty. 

The  accompanying  sketch  will  illustrate  fully  the  positions 
of  attack,  the  lines  of  defense,  the  enemy's  line,  etc.,  alluded  to 
in  my  report.  The  reports  of  the  Division  Commanders  fur 
nish  in  detail  the  movements  executed  by  them. 

I  regret  to  state  that,  by  the  neglect  of  duty  of  a  subordinate 
officer,  on  picket  duty,  of  General  Humphreys'  Division,  and 
the  failure  to  comply  with  precise  orders  given,  Captain  Lentz's 
Company,  of  the  gist  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  were  left  un 
relieved  on  picket.  The  gallant  behavior  of  Captain  Lentz  and 
his  men,  his  successful  withdrawal  of  all  but  a  small  portion  of 
them,  is  set  forth  modestly  in  his  report,  hereto  annexed  and 
marked  C.  This  officer  deserves  an  acknowledgment  and  re 
ward  for  his  conduct. 

The  list  of  casualties  in  the  Corps  (annexed  and  marked  B) 
aggregated  2,440. 

The  report  of  General  Whipple's  operations  while  under  my 
command  will  reach  you  through  General  Stoneman,  his  Corps 
commander.  I  can  only  bear  testimony  to  the  cheerfulness  and 
energy  with  which  he  and  his  command  devoted  themselves  to 
the  arduous  duties  imposed  upon  them.  It  remains  for  me  to 
allude  to  the  conduct  of  the  Fifth  Army  Corps  during  these 
movements. 

I  hardly  know  how  to  express  my  appreciation  of  the  sol 
dierly  qualities,  the  gallantry  and  energy  displayed  by  my  Divi 
sion  commanders,  Generals  Sykes,  Humphreys  and  Griffin,  their 
subordinates,  and  commands.  General  Sykes  only  too  lightly 
estimates  the  fine  behavior  of  his  men  in  his  official  report.  I 
would  respectfully  call  attention  to  it.  General  Humphreys 
personally  led  his  Division  in  the  most  gallant  manner.  His  at 
tack  was  spirited,  and  worthy  of  veterans.  Made  as  it  was  by 


110  GENEKAL    DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 

raw  troops,  the  value  of  the  example  set  by  the  Division  com 
mander  can  hardly  be  estimated.  General  Griffin's  command 
was  sent  to  relieve  General  Sturgis',  of  General  Wilcox's  Corps. 
This,  with  my  presence,  and  the  other  two  Divisions,  during 
the  attack ;  my  lack  of  knowledge  of  the  position  of  the  enemy 
previous  to  the  actual  commencement  of  my  attack,  separated 
me  a  portion  of  the  time  during  the  afternoon  of  the  I3th  from 
its  movements.  Its  gallant  behavior  is  attested  in  the  reports 
of  casualties,  the  detailed  reports  of  the  operations,  and  the  posi 
tion  to  which  it  advanced  under  such  disadvantages.  I  recom 
mend  that  Generals  Sykes,  Humphreys  and  Griffin  should 
receive  proper  recognition  for  their  services  during  these 
operations. 

My  detailed  report  seems  hardly  necessary,  when  I  recall  the 
fact  that  almost  every  movement  was  made  under  the  special 
eye  and  direction  of  Major-General  Hooker,  who  personally 
knew  and  witnessed  the  behavior  of  my  command,  and  who  di 
rected  most  of  the  movements  executed  by  the  Corps  during  the 
engagement.  His  presence  gave  spirit  and  encouragement  to 
the  troops  in  this  most  difficult  task.  During  the  absence  of  a 
portion  of  my  own  Staff,  by  a  mistaken  impression  of  where 
the  command  was  to  attack,  no  orders  have  been  received  previ 
ous  to  the  arrival  of  the  Divisions  on  the  field,  I  received  the 
most  valuable  assistance  from  Major-General  Hooker's  Staff. 
Their  gallant  services  will  never  be  forgotten. 

General  Warren  is  entitled  to  honorable  mention  and  reward 
for  his  energetic  and  efficient  services  in  the  duties  intrusted  to 
him,  heretofore  alluded  to  in  this  report. 

Captain  S.  H.  Weed,  Chief  of  Artillery  of  the  Corps,  for  his 
energy,  bravery,  and  skill  exhibited  throughout  the  entire 
operations,  deserves  the  favorable  notice  and  reward  due  a 
gallant  soldier. 

To  my  own  Staff  I  owe  recognition  and  mention  of  their 
services.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Locke  and  Major  Kirkland,  of 
General  Porter's  Staff,  were  present  with  me  during  the  whole 
of  the  operations  of  the  I3th,  and  behaved  with  great  gallantry. 
Major  Kirkland  had  his  horse  shot  under  him.  Captain  Tucker, 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  111 

i8th  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  acting  aide-de-camp,  was  se 
verely  wounded  in  the  arm  while  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties, 
and  deserves  special  mention  for  his  services.  To  the  others 
of  my  Staff,  Surgeon  R.  O.  Craig,  Medical  Director  of  the 
Fifth  Army  Corps ;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Bartram,  Captains 
Sterling  and  Ryder,  Lieutenant  Perkins,  and  Mr.  Kemys,  vol 
unteer  aide-de-camp,  I  owe  recognition  for  their  valuable 
services. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  yours,  etc., 
DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 
Brigadier-General,  Commanding. 

LlEUTENANT-COLONEL   DICKINSON, 

Ass't  Adjutant-General,  Center  Grand  Division. 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

December  24,  1862. 

By  the  orders  of  the  Major-General  commanding  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  Major-General  Meade  is  placed  in  command  of 
the  Fifth  Army  Corps. 

Duty  does  not  less  than  inclination  prompt  the  sincere  and 
heartfelt  acknowledgment  of  the  devotion  to  duty,  the  cheerful 
obedience  to  orders,  and  the  kindly  spirit  which  has  been 
evinced  by  the  division  and  subordinate  commanders  of  this 
Corps  during  the  time  it  has  been  under  the  command  of  the 
undersigned.  Words  fail  to  express  my  proper  appreciation 
of  the  unparalleled  bravery  and  soldierly  qualities  exhibited  by 
its  officers  and  members  during  the  late  battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg,  and  the  operations  connected  therewith. 

On  duty  with  and  of  the  Corps  from  its  organization,  I  may 
be  permitted,  with  proper  pride,  to  say  that  neither  remarks 
from  me  nor  the  gallant  record  of  my  senior  and  successor  will 
be  necessary  to  insure  to  him  the  reception  and  support  due  his 
rank  and  position.  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 

On  the  same  day  the  General,  who  was  greatly  grieved  by 
being  superseded  in  the  command  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  which 
he  had  conducted  with  courage  and  military  ability,  addressed 


112  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

the  accompanying  note  to  his  friend,  Henry  Wilson,  United 
States  Senator  from  Massachusetts : 

"An  order  reaches  me  to-day  assigning  Gen.  G.  G.  Meade 
(as  Major-General)  to  command  this  Corps.  I  ought  to  feel 
patriotic  enough  to  serve  as  a  private  if  need  be.  I  always 
thought  I  was.  But  I  do  not  like  to  be  let  down  without 
cause,  or  a  fair  showing.  I  have  never  asked  nor  solicited  any 
thing  from  any  one.  I  feel  constrained  to  throw  myself  upon 
the  kindly  interest  you  have  always  shown  for  me,  and  to  ask 
that  you  will  take  the  trouble  to  ascertain,  first,  if  I  have  been 
named  as  a  Major-General ;  second,  if  Gen.  G.  G.  Meade  has 
been  named,  and  if  he  ranks  me;  third,  if  anything  can  be  done 
to  save  me  this  command.  General  Hooker  is  anxious  I  should 
retain  it,  and  has,  I  believe,  asked  the  Secretary  of  War  that 
it  should  be  so.  Please  consider  this  letter  confidential,  acting 
for  me,  if  you  can  consistently." 

This  chapter  may  well  be  concluded  with  the  accompanying 
letter,  written  by  General  Butterfield  to  his  friend  and  frequent 
correspondent  during  the  Civil  War,  Salmon  P.  Chase,  Secre 
tary  of  the  Treasury,  in  which  suggestions  are  made  for  much- 
needed  reforms  in  the  management  of  the  armies  of  the  North. 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

NEAR  FALMOUTH,  Nov.  26,  1862. 
MY  DEAR  GOVERNOR: 

The  subordinate  position  which  I  have  heretofore  held  in 
this  army  has  made  it  seem  proper  and  right  to  me  that  I  should 
withhold  any  expressions  of  opinion  as  to  the  management  of 
our  armies  in  the  field.  I  am  constrained  by  my  sense  of  duty, 
my  earnest  and  anxious  desires  for  our  success,  to  write  you 
and  give  you  freely  views  which  will  in  nowise  reflect  upon 
my  superior  officers,  but  which  force  themselves  upon  me  with 
every  day  and  every  step  we  take  in  the  campaign  as  absolute 
necessities  and  essentials  to  success. 

The  problem  of  marching  and  feeding  a  large  army  beyond 
a  given  distance  from  its  base  of  supplies  has  not  been  success- 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  113 

fully  solved — it  is  essential  to  success  that  this  be  done.  I  be 
lieve  it  can  be  done.  The  "impedimenta"  of  this  army  is,  and 
has  been,  one  of  its  greatest  drawbacks;  so  long  as  it  exists  it 
will  continue  so.  Its  reduction,  while  it  will  add  to  the  effi 
ciency  of  the  force  by  its  greater  mobility  and  rapidity,  will 
materially  curtail  the  immense  expenditures  necessary  to  keep 
the  army  in  the  field. 

How  shall  it  be  done  ?  By  doing  away  with  one-half,  or  two- 
thirds  the  transportation  (wagons)  now  allowed,  and  substi 
tuting  in  place  thereof  animals  with  pack-saddles  for  the  trans 
portation  of  everything,  except  those  articles  absolutely  neces 
sary  to  be  carried  in  wagons,  viz.,  reserve  ammunition  for  the 
artillery.  The  blacksmith's  forges,  for  repairs,  etc.,  and  shoe 
ing  the  cavalry,  artillery  and  other  necessary  animals ;  the 
cooking  utensils  for  soldiers ;  the  baggage  and  tents  for  officers ; 
the  medical  supplies  (principally)  ;  the  small  rations — coffee, 
rice,  sugar,  beans  and  hard  bread,  are  all  capable  of  being  so 
put  up  in  original  packages  (by  contract,  of  course,  from  the 
department  when  purchased)  as  to  be  susceptible  of  this  kind 
of  transportation.  Instead  of  giving  so  many  wagons  to  a 
regiment,  give  more ;  instead  of  so  many  wagons  to  a  brigade 
division  and  corps  headquarters,  give  more;  give  so  many 
animals  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  officers  and  men,  with 
pack-saddles ;  what  they  cannot  carry  upon  the  allowance  (a 
scale  of  which  is  annexed  with  this  letter)  let  them  go  without. 

These  animals  grazing,  the  transportation  of  forage  is  saved ; 
being  without  wagons  they  can  follow  the  infantry  wherever  it 
can  move,  and  generally  regardless  of  the  condition  of  the 
roads. 

The  dead  weight  of  wagons  and  material  necessary  to  their 
repairs  to  be  hauled,  is  saved.  The  compulsory  transportation 
will  do  what  "orders"  have  failed  to  do — reduce  the  traps  and 
paraphernalia  now  carried  by  everybody. 

Of  course  this  action  will  avail  nothing  without  a  commander 
who  will  seek  the  end  of  the  war  by  the  destruction  of  the 
enemy  and  the  overthrow  of  his  power  and  prestige,  and  who 
possesses  the  ability  to  handle  masses  of  troops  and  place  them 


114 

at  the  proper  moment  in  the  proper  place.  Upon  this  subject 
it  is  not  within  my  province  to  speak,  as  I  am  forbidden  by 
regulations  to  praise  or  censure. 

I  have  made  a  statement  herewith  showing  the  number  of 
troops  in  my  present  command;  the  amount,  in  weight  and 
bulk,  of  a  day's  rations — full  and  light  for  them;  the  amount 
of  extra  ammunition  required  to  be  carried ;  the  amount  of 
medical  supplies  to  be  carried ;  the  amount  of  forage  necessary, 
and  its  weight,  to  feed  the  animals  now  used,  with  the  number 
used.  I  have  also  made  an  estimate  of  the  number  of  animals 
required  to  furnish  transportation,  as  suggested  by  me;  the 
number  requiring  forage  and  amount  required  therefor.  You 
can,  without  further  data  from  me,  judge  of  the  saving  to  be 
effected  in  expenditure  and  delay  by  such  a  course  as  I  would 
pursue. 

The  change  is  a  radical  and  strong  one ;  'twill  meet  with  the 
violent  opposition  of  all  who  serve  themselves  more  than  their 
country,  either  by  ridicule  or  trifling  objections,  or  cries  of  im 
possibility.  Those  who  fight  for  the  cause  and  the  country 
will  earnestly  aid  in  effecting  such  a  change.  Men  who  can 
not  undergo  privations  and  sacrifice  for  the  honor  and  welfare 
of  the  service  are  better  out  of  it.  It  only  needs  the  effect  of 
example  from  high  sources  to  carry  it  out  thoroughly. 

My  views  of  a  campaign  I  reserve  for  another  letter — what 
should  have  been  done,  and  what  can  yet  be  done. 

Burn  these  letters  if  you  consider  them  improper  or  out  of 
place  addressed  to  you.  I  have  written  to  you  for  two  reasons  : 
First,  that  your  patriotism,  devotion  and  attention  to  the  in 
terests  of  government  are  a  sure  indication  of  a  proper  recep 
tion  to  any  suggestions  that  will  promote  success,  either  in  re 
trenching  expenditures  (the  only  trenching  that  should  ever 
have  been  done  in  this  war)  or  overthrowing  the  enemy. 

Second,  that  proud  of  your  personal  friendship  and  confident 
in  its  never-failing  qualities,  I  have  felt  sure  that  my  sugges 
tions  would,  even  if  not  approved,  be  received  and  weighed  in 
the  full  consideration  of  the  motive  and  spirit  which  prompted 
them. 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  115 

I  have  written  hastily  and  without  revision.  It  is  unneces 
sary  in  addressing  myself  to  the  mind  of  the  first  statesman  in 
the  country. 

Believe  me,  very  sincerely  yours, 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 
The  HON.  S.  P.  CHASE. 


116  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 


CHAPTER   IV. 

Hooker's  Chief  of  Staff — Army  Corps  Badges — A  Lincoln  Story — 
Camp  and  Outpost  Duty — Battle  of  Chancellorsville — Battle  of 
Gettysburg — Butterfield  Wounded — Letters  from  General  Meade 
— Article  on  Gettysburg — Concerning  Colored  Troops — Battle  of 
Resaca. 

"WHEN  Gen.  Joseph  Hooker,"  says  Butterfield's  brief  mili 
tary  biography,  "assumed  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac  about  the  26th  of  January,  1863,  I  was  assigned  to  duty 
by  that  officer  as  Chief  of  his  Staff,  in  which  capacity  I  re 
mained  until  he  was  relieved,  June  28,  1863.  By  his  successor, 
Gen.  George  G.  Meade,  I  was  requested  to  remain  in  the  same 
capacity.  I  accordingly  served  with  him  until  after  the  battle 
of  Gettysburg,  where  I  was  wounded  on  the  3d  of  July.  Re 
ceived  a  furlough  of  thirty  days  in  consequence  of  my  wound, 
and  left  the  army  on  the  6th  of  July.  Furlough  was  extended 
by  the  War  Department.  Returning  to  duty  on  the  22d  of 
August,  by  special  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War  I  was  as 
signed  to  temporary  duty  with  General  Hooker,  to  assist  in 
making  up  his  reports  of  his  command  in  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac  in  the  operations  on  the  Rappahannock." 

It  was  well  known  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  as  well  as 
in  the  other  armies  of  the  North,  that  General  Butterfield 
originated  the  system  of  using  corps  badges,  but  how  he  came 
to  choose  the  various  designs  was  a  subject  of  speculation  for 
almost  three  decades.  In  November,  1891,  in  answer  to  an 
inquiring  comrade,  of  Illinois,  the  General  told  the  why  and 
wherefore  of  his  selection  of  the  various  badges,  which  were 
introduced  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  when  he  was  called  to 
act  as  Chief  of  Staff  to  General  Hooker.  He  said : 

"The  idea  and  design  of  marking  the  troops,  ambulances,  ar- 


^ 


General  Butterfield,  at  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  117 

tillery,  guns,  caissons,  baggage  wagons,  etc.,  with  a  distinctive 
mark  to  show  their  corps  and  division,  and  also  a  headquarters 
flag  to  show  from  a  distance  the  location  and  whereabouts  of 
corps,  division  and  brigade  headquarters,  occurred  to  me  early 
in  the  war,  and  I  urged  it  upon  General  McClellan,  and  dis 
cussed  the  subject  with  others.  General  McClellan  did  not 
adopt  it.  General  Kearny  put  a  red  patch  on  his  division  (the 
troops  only).  When  I  was  called  to  headquarters  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  as  its  Chief  of  Staff,  I  determined  to  put  my 
plan  and  idea  into  effect  at  once,  and  General  Hooker,  then  com 
manding,  approved  it. 

"The  army  consisted  of  the  ist,  2d,  3d,  5th,  6th,  nth  and  I2th 
corps.  The  selection  of  a  design  for  the  ist  Corps  was  simply 
the  first  thing  thought  of — a  disc  had  no  particular  reason  or 
cause.  A  patch  or  lozenge  was  reserved  for  the  3d  Corps,  as 
Kearny's  Division  was  of  that  Corps,  so  that  the  mark  he  had 
put  on  his  men  need  not  be  changed,  and  that  incident  fixed  the 
color  of  the  mark  for  the  ist  Division — red — the  white  for  the 
2d,  and  blue  for  the  3d,  following  naturally  as  national  colors. 

"For  the  2d  Corps  the  trefoil  was  chosen,  as  a  sort  of  sham 
rock,  there  being  many  troops  of  Irish  origin  or  descent  in  that 
Corps,  and  I  wished  the  marks  to  become  popular  with  the 
commands. 

"In  the  5th  Corps,  in  my  old  Brigade,  was  my  old  Regiment, 
the  I2th  New  York,  which  I  had  commanded  as  a  militia  regi 
ment  before  the  war.  I  had  decorated  many  of  its  officers  and 
men  with  bronze  and  gold  Maltese  crosses  for  efficient  and 
thorough  discharge  of  duty  prior  to  this,  so  I  reserved  the  Mal 
tese  cross  for  them  for  that  reason. 

"The  badges  or  marks  of  the  other  corps  named  herein  were 
chosen  by  me  for  no  reason  other  than  to  have  some  pleasing 
form  or  shape,  easily  and  quickly  distinguished  from  the  others, 
and  capable  of  aiding  in  the  'esprit  de  corps'  and  elevation  of  the 
morale  and  discipline  of  the  army  I  desired  to  establish,  which 
at  that  time,  generally  speaking,  was  simply  abominable,  de 
sertions  occurring  by  thousands,  and  money  and  clothing  being 
sent  for  the  purpose,  which  we  seized  and  held  at  headquarters, 


118  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

delaying  the  money  and  keeping  back  the  civilians'  clothing  to 
prevent  its  use  for  desertion. 

"Through  these  measures,  with  others,  the  morale  of  the 
army  and  its  tone  was  restored  and  improved  to  a  very  high 
standard,  higher,  I  think,  than  it  ever  had  before  or  after. 

"With  corps  marks  or  badges  other  than  those  I  have  here 
referred  to,  I  had  no  part  in  designation,  except  in  the  I4th 
Corps  (Gen.  George  H.  Thomas).  The  General  and  myself 
had  served  as  Brigade  commanders  in  Patterson's  column,  in 
'61,  and  were  personally  well  acquainted.  When  we  took  the 
nth  and  I2th  Corps  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  reinforce 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  (after  Chickamauga),  General 
Thomas  first  saw  and  liked  the  idea  of  our  corps  marks  and 
badges.  He  directed  General  Whipple,  his  Adjutant-General, 
to  prepare  one  for  the  I4th.  General  Whipple  had  many  de 
signs  of  a  geometrical  form,  but  General  Thomas  did  not  seem 
to  like  them,  and  told  him  to  send  for  me  and  consult  me.  I 
saw  his  forms,  and  told  him  that  had  I  commanded  the  I4th 
corps,  which  'stood  as  firm  as  an  oak'  at  Chickamauga,  as  it 
was  then  spoken  of,  I  would  give  them  the  acorn  for  a  badge  in 
honor  of  their  bravery.  General  Thomas  said :  'That  is  what 
we  will  do;  let  it  be  the  acorn.'  With  this  exception,  beyond 
ihe  corps  I  have  mentioned,  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  desig 
nation  of  forms  and  marks,  save  that  the  idea  and  custom 
arose  with  me,  and  was  followed  by  others." 

While  General  Butterfield  was  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  an  incident  occurred  which  put  in  evidence 
so  much  tact  and  consideration,  that  it  was  much  commended 
at  the  time.  A  message  came  from  President  Lincoln  to  the 
General  stating  that  the  bearer  had  haunted  the  White  House 
for  a  hearing  about  some  instrument  of  destruction  he  had  in 
vented.  The  President  could  make  nothing  of  the  man  or  the 
weapon.  General  Butterfield  was  requested  to  see  him  and 
dispose  of  him  and  his  invention  at  his  discretion.  That  he 
claimed  to  have  invented  a  weapon,  deadly  in  its  dealings,  and 
that  it  would  supersede  firearms.  So  the  General  ordered  the 
man  to  headquarters.  A  tall,  gaunt  figure  appeared  bearing  in 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  119 

his  arms  a  long  case,  about  eight  or  nine  feet  long,  and  looking 
like  a  huge  scythe.  The  General  received  him  courteously,  and 
asked  him  to  explain  the  design  and  working  of  the  murderous- 
looking  blade.  The  inventor  then  showed  how  it  should  be 
fastened  at  the  front  of  the  saddle  of  a  cavalry  horse,  and  in 
a  charge  of  cavalry  this  blade  was  to  spring  out,  by  pressure, 
and  swing  round  in  a  circle  and  swoop  off  the  heads  of  every 
soldier  it  encountered.  The  General  asked  if  the  loss  of  the 
horse  would  be  safe,  for  he  saw  at  once  that  it  was  the  working 
of  a  diseased  brain,  and  perfectly  'impracticable,  but  with  in 
finite  tact  he  turned  kindly  to  the  man  and  said :  "To-morrow 
we  are  to  make  an  attack,  and  the  cavalry  will  be  engaged,  and 
I  will  give  orders  to  have  you  fully  equipped  with  horse  and 
saddle,  such  as  you  may  desire,  on  which  you  can  adjust  your 
weapon,  and  make  a  sally  with  the  cavalry,  and  if  it  proves  to 
be  as  effective  as  you  believe,  its  success  will  be  assured." 
The  poor  man's  face  fell  as  he  heard  the  orders  for  his  trial 
equipment,  and  bowing,  left  the  tent,  and  never  was  seen  or 
heard  of  afterward. 

In  the  spring  of  1862,  General  Butterfield  prepared  an  ex 
haustive  manual  on  camp  and  outpost  duty  for  infantry,  sub 
mitting  the  manuscript  to  his  friend  and  Division  Commander, 
General  Porter,  who  approved  of  it,  and  forwarded  the  manual 
to  General  McClellan,  who  promptly  replied  as  followrs,  through 
his  Adjutant-General,  Seth  Williams : 

HEADQUARTERS,  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 
CAMP  WINFIELD  SCOTT,  April  23,  1862. 

Respectfully  returned  to  Brig.-Gen.  F.  J.  Porter.  The  Com 
manding  General  has  examined  the  system  presented,  and 
highly  approves  it.  He  desires  the  chapters  on  Provost  Guard 
Duty,  and  the  duty  of  Regiment  and  Field  Officers  of  the  Day 
to  be  prepared  and  appended  as  proposed  by  General  Butterfield, 
when  he  will  be  glad  to  forward  the  manuscript  to  the  War 
Department,  with  the  recommendation  that  the  systems  be 
adopted  for  the  governance  of  the  army,  in  the  matters  con- 


120  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTEKFIELD 

cerned,  and  will  ask  the  department  to  have  the  same  printed 
for  the  proper  circulation. 

By  command  of  MAJOR-GENERAL  MCCLELLAN. 

S.  WILLIAMS,  A.  A.  G. 

The  manuscript  was,  during  the  month  of  May,  submitted  to 
Gen.  Philip  Kearny,  who  replied  as  follows : 

CAMP,  NEAR  FAIR  OAKS,  June  18,  1862. 
DEAR  GENERAL — I  owe  you  a  thousand  apologies  for  detain 
ing  your  manuscript  on  Picket  System.  But  I  was  so  struck 
with  its  completeness  and  simplicity  that  I  could  not  forego 
copying  it  for  my  own  conduct.  At  the  same  time  I  entreat 
you  to  lose  no  time  in  publishing  it  at  once.  It  will  make  you 
a  name — or  rather,  add  to  that  already  acquired — as  a  wonder 
ful  master  of  the  requirements  of  service.  Please  subscribe  for 
me  $100  in  copies,  when  or  how  it  may  appear. 

Very   sincerely  yours, 

GENERAL  BUTTERFIELD,  P.  KEARNY. 

Third  Brigade,  Porter's  Division. 

When  the  little  work  appeared,  early  in  1863,  from  the  press 
of  Harper  &  Brothers,  more  than  ten  thousand  copies  were  soon 
sold.  Among  other  prominent  generals  who  commended 
"Camp  and  Outpost  Duty,"  were  Generals  Hooker,  Hunter, 
Meade,  Porter,  Schofield  and  Thomas.  McClellan  urged  the 
War  Department  to  purchase  twenty-five  thousand  copies,  and 
William  T.  Sherman  wrote  to  the  publishers  as  follows : 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIFTEENTH  ARMY  CORPS, 

CAMP,  NEAR  VICKSBURG,  April  10,  1863. 
GENTLEMEN — I  did  propose  to  add  a  few  pages  to  General 
Butterfield's  most  excellent  little  handbook,  entitled  "Camp  and 
Outpost  Duty  for  Infantry/'  and,  with  the  General's  consent,  to 
have  a  number  published  for  my  Corps.  But  on  reflection  I 
like  the  book  as  it  is  so  well,  that  I  will  be  obliged  if  you  will 
send  me,  per  Adams  &  Co/s  Express,  $100  worth  of  the  book, 
and  I  will  remit  on  receipt.  Send  to  my  address,  via  Memphis. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  121 

I  would  prefer  a  cover  of  thin  paper  or  leather,  so  that  an 
officer  or  picket  could  carry  it  in  his  pocket.  I  would  like  some 
(if  not  involving  delay)  put  up  exactly  like  a  pocket  diary,  with 
blank  leaves,  an  almanac  and  pencil.  In  that  form  it  would  be 
excellent  and  very  saleable." 

General  Hooker  communicated  the  information  to  each  corps 
commander  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  that  a  sufficient  num 
ber  of  copies  of  "Camp  and  Outpost  Duty  for  Infantry,"  by 
General  Butterfield,  are  sent  you  herewith  to  distribute,  one 
to  each  brigade  and  division  in  your  Corps. 

The  Major-General  commanding  directs  that  in  future  the 
infantry  outpost  duty  in  this  army  be  performed  in  accordance 
with  the  system  laid  down  in  that  work,  except  so  far  as  the 
same  may  be  in  conflict  with  existing  orders  from  these  head 
quarters. 

During  the  following  year  General  Butterfield  collected  con 
siderable  data  with  the  purpose  of  preparing  a  larger  work 
containing  much  military  matter  in  addition  to  that  included 
in  his  "Camp  and  Outpost  Duty,"  but  this  design  was  never 
carried  out.  He  also  contemplated  compiling  for  publication 
a  volume  of  "General  Orders  of  1861-64,"  but,  as  will  be  seen 
by  the  following  communication  from  the  Adjutant-General, 
the  project  did  not  meet  with  the  approval  of  the  War  Depart 
ment,  and  was  therefore  abandoned.  Later  the  Government 
issued  a  "Subject  Index  of  General  Orders  of  the  War  De 
partment,  1861-1880,"  in  an  octavo  volume. 

"In  reply  to  your  communication  of  the  3d  inst.,  asking  if 
there  was  any  objection  to  reprinting  War  Department  General 
Orders  of  1861-63  m  a  condensed  form,  I  have  respectfully  to 
inform  you  that  several  similar  applications  have  been  declined. 
There  is  a  strong  objection  to  such  publications,  except  by  the 
Adjutant-General's  office." 

General  Oliver,  in  his  Butterfield  reminiscences,  writes : 
"We  again  find  him  at  the  front,  in  December,  1862,  then  in 

command  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  engaged  in  the  desperate  battle 

of  Fredericksburg. 


122  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 

"The  army  was  compelled  to  retire,  and  to  General  Butter- 
field  was  intrusted  the  difficult  task  of  covering  the  retreat.  It 
required  the  most  careful  management  to  retire  the  Corps,  with 
the  watchful  enemy  so  close  upon  him,  but  it  was  accomplished 
in  perfect  order  without  the  loss  of  a  gun  or  a  man.  When 
General  Hooker  took  command  of  the  army  in  January,  1863, 
Butterfield  was  appointed  his  Chief  of  Staff.  At  the  time 
Hooker  assumed  command  there  were  more  men  who  had  left 
the  army  and  gone  home  than  there  were  at  the  front.  So 
many  men  were  deserting  that  it  was  necessary  to  place  pickets 
in  the  rear  of  our  lines.  General  Butterfield  ordered  lists  made 
out  by  every  corps,  giving  the  names  of  all  absentees ;  notice 
was  given  them  to  return  immediately  under  penalty  of  arrest. 
Furloughs  of  ten  days  only  at  a  time  were  allowed  to  a  limited 
number  of  officers  and  men  in  each  corps,  on  pain  of  arrest  if 
they  did  not  report  within  the  time  granted. 

"The  whole  army  was  reorganized.  Pickets  were  closely 
examined,  one  officer  starting  from  each  end  of  the  line,  who 
furnished  accurate  reports  of  the  condition  of  the  picket  line. 
Any  faulty  mode  of  picketing  was  reported  by  General  Butter- 
field  to  the  corps  commander  in  which  it  occurred.  Camps 
were  carefully  inspected,  especially  in  regard  to  sanitation. 
Frequent  reviews  were  held,  and  artillery  and  cavalry  horses 
put  in  good  condition.  In  fact,  during  this  administration  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  was  brought  into  a  splendid  state  of 
efficiency.  Badges  for  the  divisions  of  corps,  and  brigade  divi 
sion  and  corps  flags  were  instituted,  which  were  of  the  greatest 
assistance  in  a  campaign,  by  instantly  locating  the  corps  and 
divisions/' 

General  Hooker  asserted  that  he  had  "the  finest  army 
on  the  planet,"  and  that  no  power,  earthly  or  heavenly, 
could  save  Lee  and  his  command  from  destruction.  If 
his  army  was  what  Hooker  believed  it  to  be,  it  was  owing 
to  the  ability  and  untiring  efforts  of  his  Chief  of  Staff.  Af 
ter  some  unimportant  movements  he  sent  General  Stoneman, 
with  the  cavalry,  to  the  Confederates'  rear,  and  then,  cross 
ing  the  Rappahannock  at  several  fords  successfully,  with  the 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  123 

ultimate  intention  of  turning  Lee's  left,  while  General  Sedgwick 
should  make  a  demonstration  on  Fredericksburg.  Instead  of  in 
stantly  attacking  the  Southern  army,  Hooker  took  post  at 
Chancellorsville,  where  he  awaited  Lee's  attack.  This  came 
with  unexpected  fierceness  and  unexampled  celerity. 

Sturdy  John  Sedgwick's  attack  upon  the  Fredericksburg 
Heights  had  been  successful,  but  "Stonewall"  Jackson's  rapid 
and  vigorous  flanking  movement  turned  the  National  right, 
throwing  it  back  in  great  confusion  upon  the  center.  There 
was  want  of  concert  of  action,  and  thus  the  well-planned  battle 
terminated  in  disastrous  defeat.  In  the  very  heat  of  the  con 
flict  an  accident  occurred  that  entailed  serious  results,  perhaps 
caused  the  loss  of  the  battle.  General  Hooker  was  leaning 
against  a  pillar  of  the  piazza,  of  the  Chancellorsville  house, 
which  was  struck  by  a  cannon  ball.  He  was  stunned,  and  for 
some  time  senseless,  not  recovering  his  judgment  sufficiently  to 
continue  the  command,  or  even  to  transfer  it  to  a  subordinate. 
"Stonewall"  Jackson  was  mortally  wounded,  and  for  two  days 
the  army  of  the  North  held  its  ground,  the  command  devolving 
upon  Gen.  Darius  N.  Couch,  who  withdrew  the  forces  to  the 
north  side  of  the  Rappahannock.  Unfortunately,  Hooker  had 
ordered  his  Chief  of  Staff  to  remain  at  Falmouth  headquarters 
to  facilitate  communication  with  both  wings  of  the  army,  other 
wise  his  services  at  a  critical  time  at  Chancellorsville  might 
have  been  of  incalculable  advantage  in  the  battle.  Butterfield 
writes  to  the  General  on  May  3d : 

"I  deeply  regret  to  hear  that  you  are  even  slightly  wounded. 
I  have  put  every  officer  and  man  here  in  use  during  the  opera 
tions,  even  to  the  2Oth  Maine.  As  I  cannot  now,  by  any  possi 
bility,  be  able  to  join  you,  if  permitted,  can  I  join  General  Sedg- 
wick?  The  enemy  will  undoubtedly  make  a  desperate  effort, 
as  his  custom  is,  toward  dusk,  if  he  lasts  that  long.  Our  troops 
are  still  advancing,  cheering  lustily.  A  portion  of  Sedgwick's 
force  is  moving  to  the  right,  on  Bowling  Green  Road.  Haupt 
is  at  Falmouth  with  his  force,  ready  to  spring  with  the  railroad 
bridge  when  ordered — affairs  seem  to  justify  it  now  here.  Am 
sending  200  prisoners  to  the  rear — one  colonel. 


124  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

"While  I  do  not  know  who  could  replace  me  here,  I  am  heart 
sick  at  not  being  permitted  to  be  on  the  actual  field,  to  share  the 
fate  and  fortune  of  this  army  and  my  General." 

During  the  Gettysburg  campaign,  while  at  Fairfax  Station, 
General  Hooker  sent  Butterfield  to  Washington  with  the  re 
quest  that  the  troops  coming  in  the  line  of  his  operations  be 
placed  under  his  command,  for  he  had  sent  orders  to  several 
commanders,  notably  to  one  at  Edwards  Ferry,  where  he  ex 
pected  Lee  would  cross,  and  where  he  finally  did  cross,  and  the 
officer  there  in  command  replied  that  he  was  under  General 
Schenck's  orders,  and  therefore  could  not  obey  orders  coming 
from  any  one  else.  After  the  Chancellorsville  campaign  a  large 
number  of  men  had  left  the  army,  being  two-year  men,  as  their 
terms  of  service  had  expired.  Hooker  therefore  sent  General 
Butterfield  to  Washington  to  explain  the  situation,  and  to  re 
quest  that  the  troops  around  Baltimore  and  Washington,  which 
could  be  spared,  be  formed  into  a  division  under  the  command 
of  Gen.  Alexander  S.  Webb,  to  be  attached  to  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  but  his  efforts  were  futile. 

Believing  his  command  to  be  inferior  in  numbers  to  Lee's, 
which  was  then  marching  north  to  invade  Pennsylvania,  and  his 
demands  for  reinforcements  being  refused,  General  Hooker 
sent  in  his  resignation,  which  was  accepted,  and  on  June  28th 
the  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  conferred  on 
Gen.  George  G.  Meade.*  By  his  request,  General  Butterfield 
continued  to  occupy  the  position  of  Chief  of  Staff,  rendering 
efficient  service  during  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  until  wounded 
on  the  third  day  by  a  shell  in  the  midst  of  the  terrific  Confed 
erate  cannonading  that  preceded  Pickett's  charge,  which  com 
pelled  him  to  leave  the  army.  Receiving  a  furlough  of  thirty 

*0n  June  24th  General  Orders  No.  65  was  printed,  but  not  issued 
by  General  Hooker.  The  first  paragraph  was  as  follows:  "The 
ignoble  and  treacherous  practice  by  the  enemy  of  wearing  the  uniform  of 
ibis  army,  is  contrary  to  the  laws  and  usages  of  civilized  warfare,  and 
it  is  hereby  ordered  that  all  prisoners  who  may  be  hereafter  taken  wear 
ing  such  uniforms  be  instantly  put  to  death.  Corps  and  all  other  com 
manders  will  enforce  this  order."  A  copy  of  the  original  order  now  be 
fore  the  writer,  bears  the  following  endorsement  in  General  Butterfield's 
handwriting:  "General  Meade  came  into  command  June  28,  1863.  This 
order  had  not  been  issued,  and  was  by  his  order  suppressed." 


Bronze  Tablet  on  Gettysburg  Monument. 


Colonel  Butterfield,  by  Gurney,   1859. 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEBFIELD  125 

days  in  consequence  of  his  wound,  he  proceeded  to  his  summer 
home  at  West  Park,  on  the  Hudson. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg-  the  following 
communication  was  addressed  to  Gen.  Winfield  S.  Hancock: 

HEADQUARTERS,  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

July  i,  1. 10  P.  M.,  1863. 
COMMANDING  OFFICER,  SECOND  CORPS  : 

The  Major-General  commanding  has  just  been  informed 
that  General  Reynolds  has  been  killed,  or  badly  wounded.  He 
directs  that  you  turn  over  the  command  of  your  Corps  to  Gen 
eral  Gibbon;  that  you  proceed  to  the  front,  and  by  virtue  of 
this  order,  in  case  of  the  truth  of  General  Reynolds'  death,  you 
assume  command  of  the  Corps  there  assembled,  viz.,  the 
Eleventh,  First  and  Third,  at  Emmettsburg.  If  you  think  the 
ground  and  position  there  a  better  one  to  fight  a  battle  under 
existing  circumstances,  you  will  so  advise  the  General,  and  he 
will  order  all  the  troops  up.  You  know  the  General's  views, 
and  General  Warren,  who  is  fully  aware  of  them,  has  gone  out 
to  see  General  Reynolds. 

LATER,  1.15  p.  M. 

Reynolds  has  possession  of  Gettysburg,  and  the  enemy  are 
reported  as  falling  back  from  the  front  of  Gettysburg.  Hold 
your  column  ready  to  move. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 
Major-General  and  Chief  of  Staff. 

While  with  his  family  at  West  Park  and  recovering  from  his 
Gettysburg  wound,  the  General  received  the  accompanying 
communication  from  General  Meade: 

HEADQUARTERS,  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

July  14,  1863. 

DEAR  GENERAL — I  owe  you  an  apology  for  not  having  sooner 
written  to  you,  but  I  need  hardly  make  it  to  you,  who  know 
so  well  how  difficult  it  is  for  me  to  find  time  to  write. 

After  you  left,  in  view  of  the  suffering  you  seemed  to  ex- 


126  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 

perience  from  your  wound,  and  the  probability  of  the  length 
of  time  you  might  be  kept  from  the  army,  together  with  my 
knowledge  of  the  fact  that  the  position  you  occupied  was  not 
altogether  one  of  choice,  I  deemed  it  proper  to  appoint  a  suc 
cessor,  which  I  did,  by  having  General  Humphreys  made  a 
Major-General. 

I  hasten  to  explain  to  you  the  reasons  for  my  so  doing,  and 
at  the  same  time  to  express  my  grateful  sense  of  the  value  of 
the  services  you  rendered  me  during  the  time  intervening  be 
tween  my  assuming  command  and  your  being  wounded.  I 
shall  never  cease  to  remember,  and  to  bear  testimony  to  the 
efficient  assistance  you  so  heartily  rendered  me,  and  without 
which  I  hardly  know  how  I  should  have  gotten  through  with 
the  new  and  arduous  duties  imposed  on  me.  Trusting,  my 
dear  General,  you  will  understand  the  necessity  which  com 
pelled  me  to  appoint  a  successor,  and  that  you  will  believe  my 
assurance  that  it  did  not  arise  from  any  want  of  confidence  in 
you,  and  hoping  you  may  soon  be  restored  to  perfect  health,  I 
remain, 

Most  sincerely  and  truly  yours, 

GEORGE  G.  MEADE,  Major-General. 

Two  weeks  later,  Meade  writes  to  the  General : 

"Your  letter  of  the  20th  inst.  was  not  received  by  me,  being 
up  in  the  mountains  chasing  Lee  (whom  I  couldn't  catch)  and 
out  of  the  way  of  mails.  This  will  account  for  my  delay  in 
acknowledging  it,  which  I  understand  is  not  so  important,  as 
your  leave  has  been  extended  at  Washington.  No  order  has 
been  issued  relieving  you ;  as  your  being  on  leave,  it  was 
deemed  by  Williams  only  necessary  to  announce  the  appoint 
ment  of  Humphreys.  I  do  not  know  whether  on  the  expira 
tion  of  your  leave  you  ought  to  report  at  the  Adjutant-General's 
or  here.  This  you  can  ascertain  in  Washington.  If  you  come 
here  I  will  do  the  best  I  can  for  you,  but  it  is  impossible  to  say 
in  advance  what  that  will  be  as  changes  may  take  place  before 
you  arrive. 

"I  am  sorry  to  hear  that  you  don't  get  over  the  effect  of  the 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  127 

concussion  as  quickly  as  you  desire.  At  the  same  time  you 
ought  to  be  very  grateful  you  came  off  as  well  as  you  did,  as 
a  little  more  force  to  the  piece  of  shell  that  struck  you  might 
have  proved  fatal,  and  as  it  was  I  feared  you  had  been  injured 
internally.  I  hope  you  will  soon  be  all  right  again." 

The  piece  of  spent  shell,  almost  round  and  about  two  inches 
in  diameter,  which  struck  Bntterfield  just  below  the  heart,  was 
sent  to  him  soon  after  by  a  number  of  army  comrades,  beauti 
fully  mounted  on  an  ornamental  piece  of  silver,  decorated  with 
cannon  and  other  military  emblems.  On  it  may  be  seen  the 
following  inscription :  "While  Generals  Meade,  Ingalls  and 
Butterfield  were  conversing  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  July  3, 
1863,  this  piece  of  shell  from  a  Confederate  gun  knocked  down 
and  severely  wounded  Major-General  Butterfield,  Chief  of 
Staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac."  This  relic  of  the  greatest 
battle  of  the  Civil  War  was  carefully  cherished  by  the  General 
owing  to  its  interesting  associations.  To  the  very  end,  a  period 
of  thirty-eight  years,  the  spot  where  he  was  struck  by  the  frag 
ment  of  shell  continued  to  be  sensitive  to  the  touch. 

Of  Gettysburg,  one  of  the  world's  greatest  battles,  which, 
with  Grant's  capture  of  Vicksburg  the  same  week,  should  have 
ended  the  Civil  War,  Butterfield  wrote  in  the  "North  American 
Review,"  March,  1891,  one  of  eight  articles  descriptive  of  the 
mighty  conflict,  that  appeared  in  that  and  the  previous  number 
from  the  pens  of  the  Comte  de  Paris,  and  Generals  Doubleday, 
Gregg,  Howard,  Newton,  Sickles  and  Slocum,  who  visited  the 
famous  field  with  the  French  Prince  during  the  previous  Octo 
ber.  General  Butterfield  writes : 

But  three  days  in  advance  of  the  impending  and  intended 
battle,  one  of  the  most  self-contained,  conservative,  quiet,  and 
at  the  same  time  gallant  soldiers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
was  called  out  of  bed  before  daylight,  an  utter  surprise  to  him 
self,  and  placed  in  command  of  the  army.  So  quiet  and  un 
obtrusive  were  the  ways  of  General  Meade  that  he  was  in 
some  parts  of  the  army  almost  personally  unknown.  All  knew 
of  his  gallant  fight  at  Fredericksburg.  He  thought  to  assemble 


128  GENEEAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

the  army  at  Frederick  and  have  a  review,  to  see  and  know,  and 
be  known,  by  those  portions  of  the  army  with  which  he  was 
not  familiar.  Upon  receiving  an  explanation  of  the  entire 
situation  he  assented  to  the  continued  march  of  our  columns 
prepared  for  the  next  day,  and  the  programme  of  Hooker's 
movement  after  French's  column  was  refused  him  was  carried 
out  unchanged  .  .  .  until  Reynolds  reached  Gettysburg 
and  met  the  enemy. 

The  absolute  self-possession  and  quiet  demeanor  of  the  corps 
commanders  present  at  this  (in  war  history)  unique  assem 
blage  so  many  years  after  the  battle,  though  marked,  was  not 
as  strongly  marked  as  the  same  characteristic  of  all  during  the 
three  days'  fighting.  It  strongly  and  forcibly  recalled  it. 

Typical  of  this,  it  brought  back  Meade  sitting  quietly  on  the 
little  grass  plot  at  the  roadside  of  the  headquarters  house  in 
the  midst  of  the  battle,  shells  bursting  constantly  every  few 
minutes,  and  officers'  horses  disabled,  surrounded  by  a  small 
group  of  staff  officers  attached  to  headquarters,  telling  as 
quietly  as  if  at  a  quiet  home  in  a  peaceful  glen,  an  interesting 
experience  and  incident  of  his  career  as  a  young  officer.  Gen 
erals  Sharpe,  the  loved  Seth  Williams,  Perkins  and  others,  were 
of  the  group.  The  world  might  naturally  suppose  that  with 
the  immense  responsibility  so  suddenly  placed  upon  him  un 
sought  and  unexpected,  Meade  might  have  been  a  trifle  nervous 
or  excited.  If  he  was,  he  never  betrayed  it.  This  self-pos 
session  and  absolute  coolness,  so  marked  throughout  that  bat 
tle  on  the  part  not  only  of  the  principal  commanders,  but  most 
of  the  subordinates,  was  more  strong  and  pronounced,  to  so 
express  it,  than  in  any  of  a  score  of  battles  of  personal  recol 
lection  and  experience. 

Slocum  was  much  more  quiet  and  collected  on  the  night  of 
the  council  of  war  (after  the  second  day's  battle),  when,  re 
clining  with  almost  absolute  nonchalance,  he  answered,  as  his 
vote  "on  the  proposition  of  a  change  of  our  position,  "Stay  and 
fight  it  out,"  than  he  was  when  listening  to  the  words  of 
Howard,  Doubleday,  Gregg,  and  the  others  so  many  years  after. 
He  did  not  tell  us  why  the  proposal  to  which  he  had  assented, 


GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  129 

and  for  which  he  held  his  command  ready,  to  follow  up  the 
repulse  of  Pickett's  assault,  was  not  accepted  or  approved. 

There  was  a  strong  regret  that  the  good  people  of  Philadel 
phia  or  Pennsylvania  had  not  placed  the  equestrian  statue  of 
Meade  on  that  field  (Gettysburg),  where  it  belongs,  rather  than 
in  Fairmount  Park.  It  was  Meade's  victory,  as  it  would  have 
been  his  defeat  had  it  terminated  in  the  enemy's  favor.  Every 
body  who  goes  there,  and  who  will  go,  will  always  wish  to  see 
the  commander  as  he  was.  Perhaps  Pennsylvania  will  yet  do 
it.  What  a  group  it  would  be  to  place  in  the  field  where  the 
wooden  observatory  is,  opposite  the  cemetery,  equestrian 
statues,  life-size,  of  Meade,  Reynolds,  Hancock,  Sedgwick, 
Wadsworth,  Buford,  Humphreys,  Sykes,  Birney  and  others 
gone,  as  they  were  in  life  in  that  battle,  and  the  gallant  com 
manders  yet  living  who  will  follow  them  to  a  future  crown ! 
Whatever  we  may  have  thought  in  years  agone,  with  less  re 
flection  and  no  knowledge  of  present  results,  speculation  as  to 
what  might  have  occurred  is  but  speculation.  We  know  what 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  did  at  Malvern  Hill  after  previous 
defeats,  and  we  realize  that  our  opponents  were  not  to  be  un 
dervalued  for  courage  or  tenacity.  They  proved  it  in  our 
fighting  days,  as  did  their  ancestry,  side  by  side  with  ours,  in 
the  days  of  '76  at  Yorktown,  Saratoga  and  the  other  fields  of 
the  Revolution.  That  they  believed  they  were  right,  while  we 
fought  because  we  thought  we  knew  they  were  wrong,  passes 
unchallenged  into  history.  We  cannot  blame  the  prudence  and 
conservative  judgment  that  led  Meade  not  to  stake  what,  in 
case  of  failure,  might  perhaps  have  caused  a  fatal  result  to  our 
Union.  His  great  responsibility  did  not  descend  below  the 
commander  or  to  those  of  us  who  would  have  had  it  otherwise. 
Some  of  us  believe  that  it  was  a  good  Providence  that  endowed 
him  with  caution,  if  the  consciousness  of  his  grave  responsi 
bility  did  not  of  itself  do  it.  We  believe  that  his  unquestioned 
bravery  in  obeying  orders  carried  with  it  a  saving  and  prudent 
judgment  when  he  personally  commanded ;  that  it  was  better 
for  the  country  for  all  sides  that  the  fighting  was  not  pushed 
for  the  conclusion  and  results  we  then  thought,  and  still  think, 


130  GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

might  have  been  possible,  and  that  we  can  be  profoundly  grate 
ful  for  the  results  as  they  stand  to-day. 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  there  are  many  honestly  mis 
taken  as  to  the  real  effect  and  results  of  their  own  work  in  this 
battle,  tactically  of  accident,  strategically  of  purpose.  Many 
subordinate  commanders  to  this  day  think  their  action  won  the 
battle — which  would  have  been  lost  but  for  the  combined  work 
of  all.  It  will  never  cease  to  be  a  regret  to  every  true  soldier 
that  the  full  and  just  meed  of  recognition  has  not  been  given  to 
all  who  deserved  so  much  on  that  field. 

It  is  not  worth  while  to  speculate  upon  a  proposition  to  which 
there  can  never  be  an  answer  or  positive  solution.  We  could 
not  rewrite  the  history  of  Europe  if  Wellington  had  been  de 
feated  at  Waterloo,  nor  the  result  if  we  had  failed  at  Gettys 
burg.  Hence  it  is  only  speculation  and  opinion,  with  no  cer 
tainty,  as  to  what  would  have  occurred  had  Lee  adhered  to 
the  stated  forecast  of  his  campaign  that  it  should  be  "strategi 
cally  offensive"  and  "tactically  defensive,"  leaving  us  to  be  the 
attacking  party.  We  must  always  be  grateful  that  Lee  changed 
this.  So,  theories  or  speculations  as  to  the  result  had  Hooker 
retained  command  are  idle,  as  well  as  what  would  have  occurred 
had  Slocum  been  permitted  to  enter  upon  the  pursuit  after 
Pickett's  repulse,  backed  by  a  division  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  as 
he  was  ready  to  do. 

Nor  need  we  speculate  on  the  results  if  Sickle's  position  on 
the  second  day  had  not  prevented  Longstreet's  junction  with  the 
force  sent  to  our  rear  for  that  purpose,  or  any  withdrawal  from 
our  position,  or  on  what  result  would  have  occurred  if  the  mag 
netic,  forceful  and  impetuous  Stonewall  Jackson  had  been  there 
commanding  the  force  co-operating  with  Longstreet.  We  may 
on  both  sides  cherish  theories  of  results,  but  they  are  vain  and 
idle.  There  are  dangers  before  us  now  from  virtually  the  same 
causes  that  brought  on  the  war  of  the  rebellion — avarice,  greed 
and  selfishness — that  we  may  rather  speculate  upon  with  the 
hope  to  counteract. 

We  may  and  wre  should  be  profoundly  thankful  that  results 
are  as  thev  now  exist ;  more  than  grateful  to  the  splendid,  brave 


GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  131 

old  army  of  the  Potomac,  down  to  the  last  soldier  on  its  fight 
ings  rolls,  before,  and  at,  and  after  the  days  at  Gettysburg.  It 
never  proved  more  thoroughly  or  strongly  its  great  discipline, 
organization,  patriotism,  and  endurance  than  in  those  eventful 
days.  Its  memory  and  its  lustre  will  never  grow  dim  with  us, 
and  will  always  reflect  with  added  brilliancy  the  glories  of  the 
armies  of  the  West,  of  the  Tennessee,  the  Cumberland  (its 
glorious  western  counterpart),  and  the  Ohio.  This  light  and 
lustre  in  all  the  armies  came  from  the  same  source — the  soldier 
in  the  ranks.  He  was  always  of  good  material,  and  ever 
showed  it  when  trained  and  led  by  competent  officers — some 
times  without  such  leadership. 

How  appropriate  here  the  words  of  our  greatest  soldier, 
Grant!  How  true! 

"My  sympathies  are  with  every  movement  which  aims  to 
acknowledge  our  indebtedness  to  the  private  soldier — the  count 
less,  nameless,  often  disregarded  heroes  of  the  musket  and 
bayonet,  to  whose  true  patriotism,  patient  endurance  and  fiery 
courage  on  the  day  of  clanger  we  who  are  generals  owe  vic 
tory,  and  the  country  will  yet  owe  its  salvation." — Grant's 
Speech  in  1863. 

Gettysburg,  so  often  called  the  "soldiers'  battle,"  apprecia 
tively  bears  monuments  from  their  States  on  the  lines  where 
they  fought.  We  ought  to  place  their  monuments  to  mark  the 
lines  of  our  opponents,  now,  we  trust,  forever  our  fellow  citi 
zens.  The  display  of  their  great  courage  emphasizes  that  of 
our  own  brave  men. 

In  the  Comte  de  Paris'  article,  the  accompanying  paragraph 
appears : 

"But  why  evoke  the  dead  while  in  broad  daylight  I  could 
behold  a  more  extraordinary  sight,  in  an  historical  point  of 
view,  than  the  Midnight  Review?  To  the  call  of  General  But- 
terfield,  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  that 
decisive  battle,  had  answered  nearly  all  the  surviving  chiefs  who 
were  the  principal  actors  in  this  great  drama.  Instead  of  the 
phantom  legions  marching  in  an  unearthly  silence,  I  had  around 


132  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

me  the  living  leaders,  whose  names  will  always  be  associated 
with  the  history  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  It  was,  indeed, 
a  high  compliment  which  they  paid  a  true  friend  of  their  coun 
try,  who,  after  having  served  with  them  in  the  same  army,  had 
undertaken  to  write  an  impartial  account  of  the  great  struggle. 
This  compliment  I  once  more  gratefully  acknowledge." 

Of  the  eight  contributors  of  the  Gettysburg  articles,  only 
Gregg,  Howard  and  Sickles  are  now  among  the  living. 

The  following  letter  was  written  by  General  Butterfield  to 
one  of  his  most  intimate  friends,  Henry  J.  Scudder,  a  promin 
ent  member  of  the  New  York  bar.  The  communication  is  un 
fortunately  incomplete,  the  last  page  having  been  lost. 

WEST  PARK,  ULSTER  Co.,  N.  Y.,  July  20,  1863. 
MY  DEAR  SCUDDER  : 

Your  very  inquisitive  favor  received.  An  old  friend  and  a 
true  one,  like  yourself,  has  a  right,  sometimes,  to  ask  a  good 
many  questions.  I  don't  know  that  I  ought  to  refuse  a  reply 
to  some  of  them,  although  you  are  well  aware  it  is  contrary 
to  my  usual  habit  in  such  matters. 

I  shall  take  you  up  as  you  ask.  First,  for  General  Hooker. 
I  don't  know  what  kind  of  a  sot  he  is  reported  to  be.  I  have 
been  with  him  almost  daily  since  October  last  up  to  the  date 
of  his  being  relieved,  and  I  have  failed  to  discover  any  signs 
of  drunkenness  in  him.  Had  I  found  it  to  be  the  case,  I  should 
certainly  have  asked  to  be  relieved  from  his  staff.  I  found  him 
ever  vigilant,  faithful  and  true  to  his  country  and  his  army — a 
truer  patriot  than  Hooker  never  breathed.  You  ask  me  why 
I  accepted  a  position  on  his  staff.  I  don't  know  that  I  can 
better  answer  you  than  to  relate  the  substance  of  the  conversa 
tion  that  passed  between  us  when  he  assumed  command  of  the 
army.  I  happened  to  be  at  headquarters  the  day  the  order 
came.  After  General  Burnside  left  he  turned  to  me  and  said : 
"Butterfield,  what  do  you  want  to  do?  I  have  much  confidence 
in  you,  and  would  like  to  know  your  wishes."  I  replied : 
"General,  I  have  no  wish  but  to  be  in  the  post  where  my  serv 
ices  will  accomplish  most.  Do  with  me  as  you  please.  The 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  133 

wish  of  the  General  commanding  this  army,  whoever  he  may  be, 
while  I  serve  in  it,  shall  be  my  law."  "But  have  you  no  pref 
erence?  I  would  like  to  have  you  for  Chief  of  my  Staff." 
"General,  I  do  not  feel  as  if  I  ought  to  express  my  preferences. 
The  Commanding  General  has  difficulties  enough  to  encounter 
without  having  to  suit  himself  to  the  preferences  of  those 
around  him ;  do  with  me  as  you  will.  I  trust  you  will  find  me 
ready  and  anxious  for  any  honorable  duty.  I  have  no  per 
sonal  ambition ;  my  only  desire  is  for  the  success  of  our  cause. 
My  choice  would  be  to  command  troops.  But  don't  consider  my 
wishes.  Do  what  you  think  is  for  the  best  interests  of  this 
army  and  the  country." 

The  General  replied  that  he  would  think  about  it  during  the 
day,  and  send  me  orders  that  night.  At  night  he  sent  me  a  note 
saying  that  he  was  called  to  Washington ;  that  he  desired  to  an 
nounce  me  as  his  "Chief  of  Staff,"  and  asked  me  to  enter  upon 
the  duties  at  once,  during  his  absence.  I  complied  without 
delay.  You  have  the  whole  history  and  can  judge  for  yourself. 
Much  the  same  occurred  with  General  Meade  and  myself.  I 
enclose  you  copy  of  a  letter  from  General  Meade,  which  will 
sufficiently  answer  your  inquiry  as  to  my  being  relieved.  For 
the  services  I  may  have  rendered  General  Hooker  I  am  per 
fectly  content  to  abide  by  the  official  reports  of  Generals  Hooker 
and  Meade,  whenever  they  are  made  public. 

You  ask  why  Hooker  did  not  pitch  into  Lee  when  he  com 
menced  his  movement  into  Pennsylvania,  and  also  if  it  is  true 
that  the  authorities  at  Washington  refused  permission  to  cross 
and  attack  Lee  early  in  June,  and  how  far  General  Hooker  was 
bound  by  his  instructions  from  Washington ;  why  he  was  re 
lieved,  and  what  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  doing  all  the 
month  of  June.  These  questions  can  all  be  answered  best  by  a 
statement  of  the  facts  as  they  come  to  my  memory  now,  without 
any  official  papers — data  or  mem. — to  refer  to.  Late  in  May  or 
early  in  June  considerable  stir  and  movement  in  the  enemy's 
camps  indicated  that  something  was  on  foot.  It  took  some 
little  time  and  a  great  deal  of  trouble  to  discover  the  meaning 
of  this — I  had  great  anxiety  for  fear  he  was  falling  back  on 


134 

Richmond.  This  would,  I  think,  have  been  far  more  trouble 
some  to  us  in  the  end  than  his  advance  into  Pennsylvania. 
However,  it  was  soon  discovered  to  be  a  reorganization  of  the 
rebel  army,  consequent  upon  Jackson's  death,  and  its  division 
into  three  corps  under  Longstreet,  A.  P.  Hill  and  Ewell,  the 
troops  moving  to  join  their  corps,  and  the  divisions  of  Pickett 
and  Hood  moving  up  from  the  Blackwater,  where  they  had 
been  in  front  of  General  Dix's  forces.  Lee  moved  his  head 
quarters  to  Culpeper,  and  concentrated  in  that  vicinity  the 
troops  of  Ewell  and  Longstreet,  leaving  A.  P.  Hill  with  his 
corps — 30,000  or  so — in  our  front.  .  .  . 

LEGATION  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

ST.  PETERSBURG,  Aug.  20,  1863. 
MY  DEAR  GENERAL: 

My  purpose  in  writing  you  so  soon  after  my  previous  letter 
is  to  ask  your  acceptance  of  a  "capote,"  similar  to  those  worn 
by  the  Russian  Imperial  troops,  and  which  is  very  comfortable 
in  bad  weather.  It  is  said  to  be  impervious  to  water  and  is 
worn  outside  the  military  cap  and  serves  at  the  same  time  as  a 
muffler  for  the  neck.  When  not  in  use  it  is  suspended  at  the 
back,  the  ends  lying  over  the  shoulders,  and  presents  rather  a 
military  appearance.  I  send  a  second  along  with  it  to  be  for 
warded  to  Mr.  Seward,  and  I  have  written  a  note  to  the  Secre 
tary  suggesting  its  adoption  in  our  service.  Will  you  be  so 
good  as  to  send  the  package  containing  it  to  Washington,  with 
any  remarks  you  feel  inclined  to  make? 

I  am  thoroughly  at  work  in  my  official  position  [Mr.  Bergh 
was  Secretary  of  the  Legation]  and  like  it  amazingly.  In 
short  it  is,  of  all  other  occupations,  the  one  best  adapted  to  my 
ambition  and  tastes.  I  believe  I  could  make  my  mark  in  it 
if  allowed  to  remain  long  enough,  and  in  the  position  of  min 
ister.  I  trust  that  after  my  term  of  service  here  the  Govern 
ment  will  assign  me  to  Belgium  or  Italy. 

I  hope  you  are  quite  recovered  from  your  Gettysburg  wound, 
and  will  live  long  to  serve  our  country  and  wear  the  accom 
panying  "capote." 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  135 

For  heaven's  sake  force  through  the  present  draft.  Better 
let  the  South  go  than  to  resign  the  North  to  assassins  and 
thieves ! 

I  am,  dear  General,  yours  faithfully, 

HENRY  BERGH. 

General  Butterfield  returned  to  Washington  August  22d,  and 
by  special  order  of  Secretary  Stanton  was  assigned  to  tempo 
rary  duty  with  General  Hooker  to  assist  him  in  Washington 
in  the  preparation  of  his  reports  of  the  campaign  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  on  the  Rappahannock.  He  remained  with 
Hooker  until  the  latter  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the 
Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Corps,  with  orders  to  proceed  to  the  aid 
of  General  Wr.  S.  Rosecrans,  whose  army,  after  being  defeated 
at  Chickamauga,  was  besieged  at  Chattanooga,  where  he  ac 
companied  him  as  Chief  of  Staff.  At  Napoleon's  rate  of  march 
— rtwenty-five  miles  per  day — it  would  have  required  forty  days 
to  send  reinforcements  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to 
Chattanooga.  Butterfield  transported  the  two  corps  by  rail 
road,  via  Cincinnati  and  Louisville,  in  little  more  than  that 
number  of  hours.  As  it  was  of  the  utmost  importance  that 
the  reinforcements  should  reach  Chattanooga  with  the  least 
possible  loss  of  time  the  President  issued  the  following  order: 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON,  Sep.  24,  1863. 
Ordered,  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  that  Major- 
General  Hooker  be,  and  he  is  hereby  authorized,  to  take  mili 
tary  possession  of  all  railroads,  with  their  cars,  locomotives, 
plants  and  equipments,  that  may  be  necessary  for  the  execution 
of  the  military  operation  committed  to  his  charge ;  and  all 
officers,  agents  and  employees  of  said  road  are  directed  to 
render  their  aid  and  assistance  therein,  and  to  respect  and  obey 
his  commands,  pursuant  to  act  of  Congress  in  such  case  made 
and  provided.  EDWIN  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War. 

It  may  be  fairly  questioned  if  the  armies  of  the  North  then 
contained  a  general  who  was  Butterfield's  equal  for  the  par 
ticular  work  which  was  then  placed  in  his  hands,  of  arranging 


136  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEKFIELD 

all  the  details  of  moving  two  army  corps  and  all  their  accom 
paniments  from  Washington  to  Chattanooga.  Ten  years  later 
General  Hooker  said  to  the  writer  that  his  chief  of  staff  "pos 
sessed  unequalled  capacity  for  that  kind  of  business."  One  of 
Butterfield's  numerous  orders,  issued  two  days'  later  than  the 
President's,  which  happens  to  have  been  preserved,  conveys 
some  idea  of  the  thorough  character  of  his  work,  which  was 
carried  out  with  surprising  success,  and  to  the  great  astonish 
ment  of  the  enemy : 

WASHINGTON,  Sep.  26,  1863. 
MA j. -GEN.  O.  O.  HOWARD,  Commanding  Eleventh  Corps: 

GENERAL — Major-General  Hooker  directs  me  to  say  that  you 
will  proceed  with  your  command  to  Nashville,  Tenn. ;  from 
thence,  in  the  absence  of  any  further  instructions,  you  will 
proceed  toward  Chattanooga.  Your  destination  will  not  be 
made  public,  but  you  are  at  liberty  to  give  the  impression  to 
your  command  that  you  are  going  toward  Mobile. 

The  long  journey  by  rail  will  require  from  yourself  and 
every  officer  of  your  command  the  utmost  vigilance  and  energy 
to  prevent  any  disorganization,  and,  most  especially,  desertion. 
To  guard  against  this,  you  will  institute  the  strictest  responsi 
bility  upon  every  officer  of  your  command,  and  the  general  will 
hold  you  responsible  therefor. 

Guards  for  each  car  should  be  regularly  mounted,  and  no 
soldier  permitted  during  the  journey  to  leave  sight  of  the  train. 
The  failure  of  any  officer  to  take  his  command  through  will  be 
considered  sufficient  reason  to  recommend  his  dismissal.  The 
lack  of  constant  energy  and  vigilance  will  be  inexcusable. 
While  the  troops  are  en  route  the  care  and  cleanliness  of  their 
arms  and  equipments  must  not  be  neglected.  The  artillery 
horses  will  be  apt  to  suffer  unless  the  attention  of  the  officers 
of  batteries  is  given  to  their  care  and  comfort,  seeing  that  they 
are  regularly  watered  and  fed. 

The  following  named  officers,  Assistant  Quartermasters  of 
Volunteers,  on  special  duty  on  General  Hooker's  Staff,  are 
stationed  at  points  along  the  route  to  facilitate  and  expedite  the 
dispatch  of  the  trains  and  troops,  viz. :  Col.  Thomas  A.  Scott, 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  13? 

Louisville  to  Nashville ;  Capt.  J.  B.  Ford,  at  Wheeling ;  Capts. 
Lewis  M.  Cole,  William  P.  Smith,  J.  Perry  Willard,  Alexander 
Duffy — the  points  at  which  these  officers  are  stationed  will,  if 
you  deem  it  necessary,  be  given  yon  by  J.  W.  Garrett,  Esq., 
President  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  at  Baltimore.  These 
officers  have  been  instructed  to  put  your  command  through  in 
advance  of  any  other  business,  and  special  orders  from  the 
Secretary  of  War  provide  for  their  taking  any  trains,  cars,  roll 
ing  stock,  or  railroads  for  that  purpose. 

You  will  allow  no  officer  or  commander  to  interfere  with  the 
progress  of  your  column.  Your  route  will  be,  via  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  Railroad,  Wheeling,  Columbus,  Dayton,  Indianapolis 
and  Louisville.  You  must  not  permit  any  officer  of  any  grade 
to  leave  his  command,  or  be  absent  from  his  proper  duty  on 
the  route. 

Headquarters,  248  F  Street,  Washington,  until  Monday 
a.  m.,  28th,  thence  by  the  most  expeditious  route  via  Cincin 
nati,  Louisville  and  Nashville. 

Please  see  telegram  of  September  24th  for  further  details  of 
instructions. 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD,  Maj.-Gen.,  Chief  of  Staff. 

Early  in  October  the  Confederates,  under  General  Wheeler, 
having  broken  the  lines  of  communication  between  Steven 
son  and  Chattanooga  on  the  Nashville  and  Chattanooga 
Railway,  Butterfield  was  ordered  by  Hooker,  then  at  Steven 
son,  to  assume  command  of  an  expedition  to  drive  off 
the  enemy  and  re-establish  the  line.  This  was  success 
fully  done,  and  he  returned  to  his  duty  as  Chief  of  Staff, 
and  was  with  General  Hooker  during  the  movements  and 
battles  at  Wauhatchie,  Lookout  Mountain,  Mission  Ridge,  Pea 
Vine  and  Ringgold.  After  all  these  affairs  were  things  of  the 
past,  Hooker  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  War  in  behalf  of  his 
Chief  of  Staff,  who  was  eager  to  command  troops : 

"I  should  be  very  sorry  if  Major-General  Butterfield's  pres 
ence  on  duty  with  me  should  deprive  him  of  such  a  command  as 
his  rank  and  position  entitle  him  to,  and  as  he  is  anxious  to  have. 


138  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

I  have  just  been  informed  that  it  is  the  intention  of  the  present 
Congress  to  confer  brevets  for  meritorious  services  in  battle. 
With  this  in  view,  I  respectfully  recommend  that  the  brevet 
rank  of  Brigadier-General  in  the  regular  service  be  given  to 
Major-General  Butterfield,  Colonel  5th  Infantry,  for  meritori 
ous  services  in  the  several  battles  commencing  November  24th, 
and  ending  November  27th,  1863." 

From  the  lofty  scene  of  Hooker's  celebrated  conflict  on  Look 
out  Mountain,  popularly  known  at  the  time  as  the  "battle  above 
the  clouds,"  Butterfield  thoughtfully  obtained  a  number  of 
healthy  young  trees,  and  forwarded  them  to  the  Commissioners 
of  Central  Park,  where  they  were  carefully  planted,  and  after 
forty  years  have  become  an  ornament  to  New  York's  match 
less  and  well-wooded  park.  About  the  same  time  the  General 
made  another  gift  for  the  benefit  of  a  Soldiers'  Fair,  which  was 
acknowledged  by  Richard  Wallach,  Mayor  of  Washington, 
D.  C.,  who  writes  : 

"The  canes  cut  from  Lookout  Mountain,  as  well  as  your 
kind  letter  of  advice,  have  been  received,  and  will  be  most 
highly  appreciated.  For  this  considerate  kindness  and  the 
mode  you  have  taken  to  express  the  interest  you  feel  in  our 
Fair,  accept  my  own,  as  well  as  the  thanks  of  those  connected 
with  me  in  the  undertaking." 

SENATE  CHAMBER,  WASHINGTON,  March  12,  1864. 
MY  DEAR  GENERAL  : 

I  thank  you  for  affording  me  an  opportunity  of  reading  your 
most  interesting  paper  on  the  proper  mode  of  dealing  with  our 
colored  troops.  I  return  it  to  you  as  requested.  I  have  no 
criticism  to  make  upon  it,  nor  do  I  see  that  any  can  be  made.  I 
wish  it  might  be  brought  to  the  eye  of  every  commander  of 
colored  troops  in  the  service. 

Faithfully  yours, 

CHARLES  SUMNER. 
GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 

Lookout  Valley,  Tenn. 


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GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  139 

MEMORANDA  WITH  REGARD  TO  COLORED  TROOPS. 

While  exertions  are  made,  and  with  success,  to  raise  regi 
ments  of  colored  troops,  we  find  no  general  organization  of  a 
corps,  that  will  give  them  the  character  and  standing  of  white 
troops.  In  most  instances  they  are  scattered  by  regiments  to 
perform  the  fatigue  or  garrison  duty  of  armies  in  the  field. 
Is  this  wise,  as  a  matter  of  policy,  disregarding  all  sympath 
ies  or  antipathies  toward  these  troops? 

We  are  introducing  a  new  element  of  great  magnitude  in 
the  composition  of  our  armies — one  not  at  all  unlikely,  in  case 
of  future  wars,  to  prove  a  great  source  of  strength,  as  far  as 
numbers  are  concerned.  Is  it  wise,  then,  to  ignore,  in  this 
element,  its  training  and  action  in  masses,  on  the  march,  in 
active  campaign  and  in  battle?  Why  should  not  the  experi 
ment  be  made  of  a  column  of  these  troops  put  in  training  at 
least?  I  believe  that  thirty  thousand  (30,000)  colored  troops, 
with  proper  condition,  by  necessary  drill  and  discipline,  will 
accomplish  in  ten  days,  marches,  an  average  greater  distance 
of  five  miles  per  day,  with  an  average  reduction  of  the  trans 
portation  required,  of  fifteen  per  cent.,  by  an  equal  number  of 
white  troops.  I  believe  that  I  can  accomplish  this.  How 
great  an  element  of  success  such  celerity  of  movement,  with 
reduction  of  impedimenta,  will  prove,  every  soldier  can  ap 
preciate. 

The  proper  creation  and  fostering  of  this  element  of  fight 
ing  strength  in  our  country  is  worthy  of  the  most  careful  con 
sideration,  both  in  a  military  and  political  point  of  view. 
Freedom  is  being  extended  to  these  people,  many  of  whom  are, 
in  a  great  measure,  unprepared  by  previous  education  and 
habits  to  take  advantage  of  its  benefits.  Freed  from  the  lash, 
and  the  fear  of  punishment,  the  surroundings  of  these  people 
may  cause  indolence  or  crime  to  develop  itself  in  such  a  man 
ner  as  to  cause  many  regrets  for  the  political  transformation 
of  the  race.  The  ordinary  methods  for  the  development  of 
the  untutored  minds  in  civilized  countries,  would  fail  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  the  sudden  change  in  their  condition. 
What  better  school,  then,  than  that  of  the  soldier  for  the  men, 


140  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

where  the  exercises  and  restraints  of  military  rule  and  discip 
line  will  prevent  the  formation  of  vicious  habits,  and  correct 
them,  if  already  formed. 

Not  only  a  fearful  responsibility,  but  a  glorious  work,  is  with 
the  commanders  of  these  troops.  While  performing  all  the 
duties  required  in  a  military  point  of  view,  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  that  a  General-Commander  of  a  large  organization 
of  colored  troops  should,  if  made,  be  possessed  of  enlarged 
views  as  to  their  political  condition,  their  future  uses  in  the 
State,  and  the  necessities  arising  therefrom.  A  great  power 
is  placed  in  his  hands  for  good,  for  evil,  or,  if  a  negative  man, 
Providence  and  the  future  alone  will  shape  the  results.  With 
out  care,  energy,  comprehensiveness  and  ability,  we  must  look 
forward  to  the  probability  of  new  troubles  and  difficulties  aris 
ing  from  the  discharge  or  expiration  of  service  of  these  men — 
difficulties  which  may  enter  into  the  politics  of  the  State,  and, 
fed  by  the  regrets  of  lost  luxuries  and  ease,  the  bitterness  and 
disappointments  engendered  by  civil  war,  will  aid  in  the 
creation  of  a  political  element  that  may  override  the  stoutest 
efforts  of  the  philanthropist  or  the  progressive  man.  We  may 
yet  be  thrown  back  a  decade  by  such  events  as  are  here  fore 
shadowed.  How  great,  then,  the  necessity  for  prompt  and 
prudent  action  in  this  matter. 

Aside  from  the  esprit  du  corps,  which,  with  skill  in  arms, 
a  commander  will  naturally  inculcate,  his  efforts  must  not  cease 
here.  He  must  establish  and  effect  a  system  of  instruction 
in  the  plain  elements  of  education,  that  will  fix  a  basis  at  least 
for  future  development.  His  constant  care  and  exertion  will 
be  required  to  improve  their  sanitary  and  physical  condition. 
What  a  vast  responsibility  rests  upon  those  who  have  allowed 
this  class  to  die  by  scores,  upon  the  Mississippi,  during  the  last 
year,  simply  from  a  lack  of  personal  attention  and  inquiry  into 
their  previous  condition,  mode  of  living,  and  the  proper  course 
to  pursue  with  them. 

The  utility  of  these  troops,  the  necessity  for  the  increase  of 
their  numbers,  that  white  labor  may  remain  at  the  North,  and 
slave  labor  be  taken  from  our  enemies,  as  well  as  for  other 


GENEKAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  141 

reasons,  are  so  generally  admitted  by  every  reasoning  man,  that 
any  allusion  to  these  points  seems  unnecessary.  The  com 
mander  whose  vigilance  should  not  be  sufficient  to  keep  his 
ranks  full,  where  the  material  is  so  abundant  within  the  scope 
of  his  operations,  would  fail  to  meet  what  is  required  of  him. 

The  colored  soldiers  will  draw  periodically  a  certain  amount 
of  compensation  from  the  Government.  It  will  not  matter 
what  that  may  be,  they  will  be  left  penniless  at  the  expiration 
of  their  service,  from  harpies,  sutlers  and  thieves,  who  will 
surround  them,  unless  the  commander  shall  organize  and  carry 
out  a  system  of  savings  and  investment  for  them,  that  will 
enable  the  soldier,  should  he  so  elect,  at  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  service,  or  at  the  close  of  the  war,  as  the  case  may 
be,  to  purchase  and  stock,  with  the  aid  of  his  warrant,  a  freehold 
— become  a  cultivator  of  the  soil  for  his  own  account — in  other 
words,  an  independent  man — a  free  citizen.  Legislation  will 
be  required  from  time  to  time  to  aid  in  effecting  these  objects, 
and  much  labor,  benevolence,  firmness,  energy  and  patriotism, 
from  the  commander,  whose  purpose,  determination  and  objects 
becoming  apparent,  he  will  be  fully  seconded  by  his  officers. 

In  a  military  point  of  view  these  organizations  should  be 
cultivated  and  improved  to  that  extent,  that  they  will  be,  with 
regard  to  the  requirements  of  physical  labor,  entirely  self- 
sustaining.  The  introduction  of  the  various  trades  necessary 
to  a  complete  organization  of  the  corps  should  be  made  at  once 
— by  instruction  where  needed.  A  system  of  extending  this  in 
struction  beyond  the  requirements  of  the  regiment  or  corps 
will  add  much  to  the  development  of  faculties  in  the  black  man, 
who  has  so  long  been  kept  down,  that  we  ought,  at  least,  to 
throw  this  chance  in  his  way  for  light  and  improvement.  These 
men  should  be  taught  self-government  as  fast  as  their  mental 
development  will  permit. 

I  could  go  on  ad  libitum  in  the  expression  of  views.  I  have 
given  sufficient  to  shadow  forth  my  ideas  on  the  subject.  I 
have  thown  them  together  hastily,  and  forward  them  in  ac 
cordance  with  the  wish  expressed,  when  we  met  at  the  Cen 
tury  Club.  They  are  perhaps  crude,  but  they  require  no  logi- 


142  GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

cal  or  rhetorical  dressing  out  to  reach  the  mind  of  a  philan 
thropist  as  keenly  alive  to  the  necessities  arising  from  pending 
questions  as  John  Day. 

You  will  not  forget  the  admonition  with  regard  to  those 
officers  who  seek  positions  with  colored  troops,  either  for  a 
commission,  or  to  save  being  mustered  out  of  service.  Don't 
trust  the  man  who  boasts  of  his  sympathy  for  this  race,  if  he 
has  any  political  aspirations,  nor  unless  he  knows  and  appre 
ciates  thoroughly  what  he  talks  about. 

I  have  portrayed  in  feeble  outline  what  might  be  done.  It 
is  a  task  of  no  trifling  magnitude,  and  one  from  which  I  could 
almost  shrink  in  contemplating  the  labor  and  devotion  re 
quired — the  trouble,  difficulties  and  crosses  to  be  encountered — 
did  I  not  feel  that  the  consciousness  of  having  succeeded  in 
such  a  task  would  be  a  far  greater  recompense  to  me  than  a 
hundred  victories.  Yet  these  may  follow  in  the  train. 

The  soldierly  pride  of  these  men  must  be  aroused;  their 
dress  should  be  more  brilliant;  their  esprit  du  corps  strong. 
These  efforts  are  never  lost  upon  whites,  even  of  our  own  race. 
Why  should  we  ignore  them  with  blacks?  Napoleon's  suc 
cess  with  his  Zouaves,  Spahis,  Chasseurs,  etc.,  organized  from 
the  natives  of  Algeria,  has  its  force  as  an  example. 

Accept  this  as  it  is  written,  without  criticism  upon  any  other 
point  than  its  earnestness,  the  necessities  involved,  and  its  out 
line  for  meeting  them. 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD,  Major-General. 

The  word  "State"  used  above  is  in  its  collective  sense,  as  rep 
resenting  the  country. 

In  February,  1864,  General  Sherman  went  to  New  Orleans 
to  consult  with  General  Banks  concerning  the  proposed  Red 
River  Expedition,  a  combined  army  and  navy  movement. 
General  Grant  deeming  it  a  matter  of  importance,  sent  General 
Butterfield  to  Sherman  with  dispatches,  and  also  to  express  his 
views  at  length  concerning  the  campaign,  that  terminated  so 
disastrously.  From  Baton  Rouge  Butterfield  sent  a  dispatch 
to  General  Sherman,  a  copy  of  which  is  now  before  the  writer : 


GENEEAL   DANIEL    BUTTEKFIELD  143 

"Am  on  my  way  to  you  with  dispatches  from  General  Grant, 
which  I  presume  you  would  like  to  see  before  concluding  your 
arrangements."  The  business  with  Banks  was  settled  by 
Sherman  loaning  him  two  divisions,  of  about  ten  thousand 
men,  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  under  command  of  Gen. 
Andrew  J.  Smith.  These  veterans  were  returned  by  General 
Banks  too  late  to  accompany  Sherman  on  the  Atlanta  campaign, 
as  intended  and  agreed  between  the  two  commanders. 

Early  in  April,  1864,  Butterfield  was  gratified  by  the  as 
signment  to  command  the  Third  Division  of  the  Twentieth 
Corps,  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  in  the  command  of  General 
Hooker.  The  earliest  printed  communication  that  he  prepared 
after  his  new  assignment,  which  immediately  followed  the  or 
ganization  of  the  Twentieth  Corps,  is  the  accompanying  one  : 

HEADQUARTERS,  THIRD  Div.,  TWENTIETH  ARMY  CORPS, 

May  9,  1864. 

COLONEL — The  order  from  Major-General  Hooker  direct 
ing  me  to  renew  the  reconnaissance  this  morning  was  received 
about  7  a.  m.  I  immediately  moved  Brigade  to  Buzzard  Roost, 
reoccupied  the  ridge  across  Mill  Creek  with  a  line  of  skirmish 
ers.  They  met  with  much  stronger  resistance  than  yesterday. 
The  moment  any  of  them  appeared  above  the  ridge  they  were 
fired  at  by  the  enemy's  sharpshooters.  After  constructing 
bridges  across  Mill  Creek,  I  commenced  the  movement  indi 
cated  in  the  instructions  received.  While  a  regiment  was  mov 
ing  to  hold  the  ridge  on  which  General  Hooker  and  myself 
were,  the  enemy  opened  with  a  batter}/  of  12-pounders  (from 
the  crest  of  Rocky  Face  Ridge  on  the  right)  upon  the  ridge 
we  held  and  wounded  some  of  the  men,  and  I  withdrew  them 
across  the  creek.  The  movement  was  progressing  finely  around 
the  right  of  the  ridge  and  on  the  slope  of  Rocky  Face  Ridge 
without  much  opposition,  when  I  received  orders  from  General 
Thomas  to  return  my  Brigade  to  the  Division.  Upon  its  be 
ing  relieved  by  General  Carlin's  Brigade,  I  complied  with  this 
order.  En  route  to  camp  I  received  Colonel  Asmussen's  dis 
patch,  indicating  that  I  would  march  by  the  settlement  road  at 


144  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

short  notice.  I  therefore  left  Colonel  Wood's  Brigade  near  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  movement. 
Since  that  time  I  have  been  informed  by  Colonel  Asmusser. 
that  I  would  march  by  the  road  nearer  Chickamauga  Creek, 
and  consequently  have  brought  in  Colonel  Wood's  Brigade  to 
the  vicinity  of  Chickamauga  Creek.  The  orders  with  regard 
to  rations,  ammunition,  etc.,  have  all  been  complied  with.  The 
wagons  emptied  have  been  sent  to  Tunnel  Hill  for  supplies.  I 
gave  to  General  Thomas  full  verbal  information  of  the  results 
of  the  reconnaissance. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD,  Major-General,  Commanding. 

LlEUTENANT-COLONEL    PERKINS, 

Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

During  Sherman's  Atlanta  campaign  Hooker  received 
orders  to  attack  Johnston's  right  front  at  Resaca,  and 
break  his  line,  and  to  Butterfield  was  assigned  the  duty  of 
making  the  charge.  The  Confederate  line  was  defeated,  his 
Division  charging  over  a  battery  and  capturing  the  first  colors 
and  guns  lost  by  Johnston  in  that  famous  campaign. 

HEADQUARTERS,  THIRD  DIVISION,  2OTH  CORPS, 

RESACA,  May  16,  1864. 
General  Orders,  No.  4. 

The  Major-General  commanding  feels  it  a  duty,  as  well  as 
a  pleasure,  to  congratulate  the  Division  upon  its  achievements 
yesterday.  The  gallant  assault  and  charge  of  the  First  Bri 
gade,  capturing  four  guns  in  the  enemy's  fort ;  the  support  of 
this  assault  by  a  portion  of  the  Second  Brigade ;  the  splendid 
advance  of  the  Third  Brigade  on  the  left,  with  the  glorious 
repulse  it  gave  twice  its  force,  proves  the  Division  worthy  a 
high  name  and  fame.  Let  every  one  endeavor  by  attention  to 
duty,  obedience  to  orders,  devotion  and  courage,  to  make  our 
record  in  future,  as  in  the  past,  such  that  the  army  and  the 
country  will  ever  be  proud  of  us. 

By  command  of  MAJOR-GENERAL  BUTTERFIELD. 

JOHN   SPEED,  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 


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GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  145 

"At  Cassville,  May  igth,  Butterfield  was  attacked  by  the 
enemy,"  writes  General  Oliver,  "his  small  force,  Wood's  Bri 
gade  and  one  Battery,  numbering  not  over  1,500.  He  had  re 
ceived  orders  from  Hooker  to  cut  the  railroad  at  Two  Run 
Creek,  but  when  he  arrived  there  he  found  the  enemy  in  po 
sition  and  had  to  retreat.  He  had  left  me  with  two  brigades, 
one  about  two  miles  from  me,  guarding  an  ammunition  train ; 
with  the  other  I  was  to  attract  the  enemy's  attention.  I  put  out 
a  regiment,  Colonel  Dustin's,  as  skirmishers ;  I  was  not  to 
bring  on  an  engagement.  When  General  Butterfield  was  be 
ing  followed  by  the  enemy,  he  ordered  me  to  join  him  with 
Smith's  Battery.  I  did  so,  instructing  the  skirmishers  to  keep 
up  a  show  of  force  and  to  gradually  retire  and  follow  us. 

"The  Brigade  brought  up  by  me,  and  that  headed  by  the 
General,  came  together  at  the  foot  of  a  high  hill,  and  we 
formed  line  of  battle,  and  fired  rapidly  at  the  advancing  enemy. 
The  Confederates  were  checked,  but  the  General  was  entirely 
isolated  from  the  rest  of  the  army  until  three  in  the  afternoon. 
It  was  afterward  learned  that  the  Brigade  I  was  put  in  charge 
of  had  advanced  on  a  road  leading  directly  on  the  right  and 
rear  of  the  enemy's  breastworks,  and  reports  were  sent  to 
General  Johnston  that  Hooker  s  Corps  was  on  his  right  and  rear. 
As  the  whole  of  General  Hooker's  Corps  had  been  there  only 
the  night  before,  it  was  easy  to  imagine  that  they  supposed  the 
advance  of  the  Brigade  I  had  in  command  at  the  time  was  only 
the  forerunner  of  Hooker's  whole  corps.  General  Butterfield 
told  me  that  the  advance  of  this  Brigade  caused  Johnston  to 
retreat  from  Cassville  in  such  haste,  without  firing  a  shot.  He 
afterward  learned  that  he  was  in  front  of  Johnston's  whole 
army  from  ten  in  the  morning  till  three  in  the  afternoon,  with 
only  three  brigades,  and  most  of  the  time  with  only  two. 

"In  the  Atlanta  campaign  Butterfield  had  skirmishes  and  bat 
tles  almost  daily,  such  as  around  Dallas,  May  25th  to  June  4th ; 
Pumpkin  Vine  Creek,  New  Hope  Church,  Pine  Knob,  June 
I9th;  Kolb's  Farm,  June  22d;  Marietta  and  Kenesaw.  I  was 
present  when  Generals  Thomas  and  Hooker  rode  up  to  Gen 
eral  Butterfield's  headquarters,  near  Marietta,  and  Hooker 


146  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

asked  him  whether  he  was  in  earnest,  and  I  then  learned  for 
the  first  time  that  Butterfield  had  written  General  Hooker  ask 
ing  permission  to  take  his  division  [about  6,000  men]  through 
Georgia  to  the  sea. 

"The  discipline  and  esprit  dn  corps  which  General  Butter- 
field  always  inspired  in  troops,  was  most  effectually  shown  in 
the  small  number  of  missing  in  his  old  Third  Division,  after 
the  heavy  fighting  and  difficult  marching  over  hill  and  dale, 
mostly  through  thick  underbrush  and  woods.  While  Butter- 
field  left  the  Division  before  it  reached  Atlanta,  yet  the  discip 
line  he  had  installed  in  its  ranks  remained  to  the  close,  and 
when  it  reached  Atlanta,  where  the  Mayor  surrendered  to  it  on 
the  2(1  of  September,  1864,  it  had  lost  out  of  a  force  of  6,610. 
with  which  it  started,  2,659  officers  and  men  in  killed  and 
wounded.  Of  this  number  only  22  men  were  missing." 

Before  resigning  his  command  Butterfield  received  from 
General  Whipple,  A.  A.  G.,  at  headquarters,  Department  of 
the  Cumberland,  a  communication  stating  that  the  endorse 
ment  made  upon  his  application  for  a  corps,  by  General 
Thomas,  was  as  follows : 

"Respectfully  forwarded  and  recommended.  I  know  little  of 
General  Butterfield's  career  before  joining  this  army,  but  from 
what  I  have  mvself  seen  of  the  manner  in  which  he  handles  his 
troops,  and  his  good  conduct  in  battle,  as  well  as  from  the 
commendatory  reports  of  the  Major-General  commanding  his 
Corps,  I  take  pleasure  in  making  this  recommendation." 

Butterfield  also  before  his  departure  for  the  North,  June  29, 
1864,  having  thirty  days'  leave  of  absence  on  the  surgeon's 
certificate  of  disability,  subsequently  extended  for  another  month, 
he  addressed  the  following  private  and  personal  communication 
to  his  imprudently  outspoken  friend  and  chief,  Joseph  Hooker : 

CAMP  ON  SANDTOWN  ROAD, 
NEAR  ACWORTH,  GA.,  June  12,  1864. 
MY  DEAR  GENERAL: 

Permit  me  in  this  letter  to  dissolve  our  official  relations  and 
address  vou  as  your  friend  solely.  Place  what  I  say  to  the 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  147 

score  of  honest  and  sincere  friendship.     If  you  don't  like  it 
destroy  the  letter,  and  don't  think  the  less  of  me  for  it. 

You  should  not  speak  in  the  presence  of  others  as  you  did 
in  my  presence  and  that  of  Colonel  Wood  to-day,  regarding 
General  Sherman  and  his  operations.     You  can  ill  afford  to 
have  your  proud  record  as  a  soldier  tarnished  with  the  state 
ment  that  notwithstanding  your  vigorous  and  earnest  com 
pliance  with  all  orders,  your  hard  righting  under  any  and  all 
circumstances,  that  the  weight  of  your  opinions  and  criticisms, 
openly  expressed  to  your  subordinates,  tended  to  impair  con 
fidence  in  your  commanders.     I  am  not  defending  the  opera 
tions  or  campaign  of  General  Sherman.     That  subject  I  do  not 
propose  to  discuss.     I  am  talking  as  a  friend  to  you.     What  I 
have  stated  above  is  substantially  charged  against  you  with 
regard  to  both  McClellan  and  Burnside.     Don't  give  these  ac 
cusations    further    weight   by    remarks   concerning   Sherman. 
You  can  but  little  appreciate  how  deeply  remarks  from  a  soldier 
like  yourself  impress  your  subordinates.     They  repeat  them, 
and  they  go  down,  impairing  confidence  in  the  ability  of  Gen 
eral  Sherman  to  bring  his  campaign  to  a  successful  issue,  and 
thus,  in  a  measure,  weakening  the  army.     I  know  how  hard 
it  is  for  you  to  conceal  your  honest  opinions.     Your  frankness 
and  candor  will  out  with  it.     These  opinions  travel  as  "Hook 
er's  opinions."     Your  own  Staff  are  impregnated  with  them, 
and  you  will  be  accused  in  future  by  any  officer  serving  under 
you  who  may  fall  under  your  censure,  with  verbal  insubordina 
tion.     It  was  such  remarks  that  brought  Burnside's  Fulmina- 
tion  No.  8.     Understand  me,  I  do  not  say  that  your  remarks 
are  not  justifiable,   so  far  as   truthful   expression   of  honest 
opinion  goes,  but  as  carrying  weight  and  repetition  among 
men  of  lesser  capacity,  they  tend  to  injure  you;  they  are  im 
politic;  you  never  were,  nor  never  will  be  a  politic  man — of 
that  I  am  well  aware — but  you  must  be  guarded.     It  will  be 
charged  by  evil-disposed  persons  that  you  are  ambitious  to 
fill  Sherman's  place — not  in  your  hearing  or  mine — but  it  is 
the  way  of  the  world,  and  will  be  said.     You  cannot  afford  to 
have  this  said. 


148  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

You  or  I  are  not  responsible  for  what  occurs  outside  of 
our  own  immediate  commands.  Then  don't  let  us  worry  about 
it,  or  criticise  it  in  presence  of  others.  Don't  misinterpret  me, 
for  you  know  the  sincerity  of  my  friendship  for  you.  I  pray 
you,  for  your  own  sake,  be  guided  by  it,  and  believe  me  as 
ever, 

Truly  your  friend, 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  HOOKER. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  149 


CHAPTER    V. 

Letter  from  Sherman — Preventing  New  York  Riots — Several  Lincoln 
Anecdotes — Charles  Sumner — Princess  Salm-Salm — Presentation 
of  Flags — In  Command  of  Troops — Appointed  Superintendent 
Recruiting — Receives  a  Sword  of  Honor  and  Several  Badges. 

HEADQUARTERS,  MILITARY  DIVISION  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI, 
IN  THE  FIELD,  NEAR  MARIETTA,  July  2,  1864. 
MY  DEAR  GENERAL  : 

I  passed  all  around  your  camp  daily,  but  somehow  missed 
you,  and  had  no  idea  of  your  going  home  till  I  got  your  note 
last  evening.  I  regret  exceedingly  that  you  are  forced  to 
leave,  as  we  cannot  well  spare  you,  and  vacancies  are  hard  to 
fill  at  such  a  time.  The  paper  you  refer  to,  with  Hooker's 
recommendation  and  Thomas'  endorsement,  never  came  to  me, 
nor  should  it,  as  it  was  based  on  the  campaign  before  I  had 
any  command,  but  of  a  corps.  As  to  promotion,  all  I  can 
promise  is  that  this  war  will  last  long  enough  for  you  to  win  a 
dozen  more  grades,  if  that  many  are  left.  Whether  I  will  have 
an  opportunity  to  write  up  this  campaign  is  yet  to  be  seen.  If 
unsuccessful,  why  the  less  said  the  better.  If  successful,  the 
result  will  be  all  that  the  world  will  want  to  know.  Still,  if 
honors  and  fame  are  within  my  gift,  it  will  afford  me  great 
pleasure  to  bestow  them.  You  should  at  once  make  a  clear, 
distinct  report  of  all  your  acts,  from  the  beginning  till  the  last 
moment  of  your  stay  here.  Send  it  to  Hooker,  and  it  will 
thus  reach  me  and  the  War  Department. 

I  shall  aim  to  draw  Johnston  out  of  his  trenches,  and  fight 
him  on  anything  like  fair  terms.  If  he  won't  come  out  I  will 
threaten  the  Chattahoochie  and  force  him  to  cross.  When  he  is 
over  I  must  make  arrangements  to  secure  the  railroad,  and,  if 
possible,  enlarge  its  capacity.  You  can  comprehend  the  diffi- 


150  GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

culties,  but  those  who  have  not  been  here  cannot.  When  you 
go  to  the  city  see  William  Scott  and  his  family,  in  Twenty- 
third  Street,  just  out  of  Fourth  Avenue.  They  are  first  cousins 
of  mine.  Tell  Schuchardt  and  Gebhard,  and  the  officers  of  the 
Metropolitan  Bank,  that  I  am  alive  and  as  active  as  ever. 

Your  friend, 

W.  T.  SHERMAN. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  BUTTERFIELD. 

A  month  passed  at  his  summer  home  on  the  banks  of  the 
Hudson  restored  the  General's  health  and  he  was  then  as 
signed  to  court-martial  duty  and  other  special  duties.  Early  in 
the  autumn  he  was  actively  aiding  General  B.  F.  Butler  in 
taking  all  necessary  precautions  to  prevent  the  anticipated  riots 
in  New  York  City  at  the  time  of  the  Presidential  election,  the 
candidates  being  Lincoln  and  McClellan.  So  thorough  were 
the  measures,  and  so  numerous  were  the  ships  of  war  and  vet 
eran  soldiers  from  Virginia  assembled  around  the  city,  that  the 
copperheads  and  conspirators  were  completely  cowed,  the  elec 
tion  passing  off  as  quietly  as  in  ordinary  times  of  peace.  One 
of  many  communications  written  during  the  first  week  of  No 
vember  will  convey  some  idea  of  General  Butterfield's  activity 
in  assisting  General  Butler  in  maintaining  order  in  the  metrop 
olis  at  that  anxious  time: 

HEADQUARTERS,  37  BLEECKER  ST., 

NEW  YORK,  Nov.  7,  1864. 
COL.  E.  W.  SERRELL, 

Headquarters  Major-General  Butler: 

I  would  respectfully  submit  for  the  approval  of  Major-Gen 
eral  Butler  a  copy  of  the  instructions  proposed  for  the  officers 
placed  on  duty  at  the  various  telegraph  stations  throughout  the 
city.  Will  you  please  have  the  same  returned  as  soon  as  pos 
sible  with  the  approval  or  such  alterations  as  General  Butler 
may  direct  ?  As  there  are  some  sixty-eight  stations,  I  shall  have 
to  print  it,  and  can  get  it  done  by  3  p.  m.  if  returned  at  once. 
Colonel  Barney's  Adjutant  informed  me  he  had  three  clerks.  I 
have  directed  him  to  report  those  to  your  headquarters  and  offer 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  151 

their  services.  Shall  I  direct  Mr.  Sanford,  Superintendent  of 
the  American  Telegraph  Company,  to  have  his  offices  open  all 
night  Tuesday  and  Wednesday? 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 

Major-General  Volunteers. 

About  the  time  of  Lincoln's  second  inauguration  and  the  de 
livery  of  his  second  address,  one  of  the  gems  of  the  English 
language,  the  General  related  at  a  dinner  party  in  New  York 
several  delightful  incidents  connected  with  the  Chief  Magis 
trate,  then  just  entering  upon  his  second  term  of  office,  that  may 
now  be  introduced  here.  Said  Butterfield :  "Mr.  Lincoln,  with 
most  of  the  members  of  his  Cabinet,  responding  in  a  measure 
to  the  feeling  throughout  the  country  that  had  been  expressed, 
determined  not  to  give  up  Mason  and  Slidell,  who  had  been 
taken  from  the  Trent'  by  Captain  Wilkes.  After  a  lengthy  dis 
cussion  in  the  Cabinet,  Mr.  Seward  alone  opposing  the  others, 
it  being  considered  decided  that  the  position  should  be  taken  by 
our  Government,  Mr.  Lincoln  requested  Mr.  Seward  to  write 
the  letter  announcing  to  England  that  Mason  and  Slidell  would 
not  be  surrendered.  Mr.  Seward  replied : 

"  'Why,  Mr.  President,  I  cannot  write  such  a  letter.  It  is  not 
my  view.  I  don't  think  I  could  fairly  argue  and  state  the  posi 
tion.  I  would  much  prefer,  as  it  is  your  feeling  and  your  wish, 
that  you  would  write  the  letter  yourself.' 

"  'Very  well — very  well,  Seward.  You  write  such  a  letter  as 
we  should  send  according  to  your  views.  I  will  write  mine  and 
we  will  compare  them/ 

"They  parted,  Mr.  Seward  prepared  the  famous  'Trent'  letter, 
which  is  placed  on  record  as  among  the  most  able  American 
State  papers  in  existence,  surrendering  Mason  and  Slidell,  and 
waited  upon  Mr.  Lincoln  with  the  document  in  his  hand. 

"They  sat  down  in  the  President's  library  with  chairs  drawn 
to  the  fireside.  Mr.  Lincoln  broke  the  silence : 

"  'Well,  Seward,  have  you  your  paper  ready?  I  have  mine,' 
putting  his  hand  in  his  pocket  and  drawing  it  out. 


152  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

"Mr.  Seward  replied :  'Mine  is  here.  Will  you  read  yours 
first,  Mr.  President?' 

"  'No,  Seward,  you  read  yours  first.'  And  it  was  slowly  read 
by  the  great  diplomat  and  minister. 

"The  President  listened  with  absorbed  attention,  and  when  he 
finished,  Mr.  Lincoln  simply  returned  his  own  paper  to  his 
pocket  (which,  of  course,  contained  the  contrary  views)  and 
said  : 

'  'Seward,  your  paper  is  unanswerable — let  it  go.'  This  was 
true  greatness  in  a  great  crisis." 

Many  years  later,  writing  to  Frederick  W.  Seward  on  the 
subject  of  the  above  incident,  Butterfield  received  the  following 
letter  from  his  Union  College  class-mate : 

MONTROSE,  WESTCHESTER  Co.,  N.  Y., 
MY  DEAR  GENERAL  :  Jan.  8,  1889. 

On  going  to  town  this  week  I  found  your  letter  and  went  to 
your  house  to  see  you,  but  did  not  find  you  at  home.  In  the 
recent  volume  of  "Appletons'  Cyclopedia  of  American  Biog 
raphy"  there  is  an  article  on  my  father  in  which  I  have  stated 
as  succinctly  as  I  could  his  position  in  the  "Trent"  release. 
Briefly,  he  argued  that  we,  in  seizing  Mason  and  Slidell,  had 
exercised  that  "right  of  search"  which  Great  Britain  had  always 
claimed,  but  which  we  had  always  denied  and  fought  against  in 
the  war  of  1812.  To  retain  the  prisoners  would  be  to  adopt  the 
British  doctrine.  To  voluntarily  release  them  would  be  in  ac 
cordance  with  the  American  doctrine,  but  would  bind  Great 
Britain  to  nothing.  It  was  necessary  to  wait  until  Great  Britain 
made  a  demand  for  them,  thereby  planting  herself  on  the  Amer 
ican  ground.  Then  their  surrender,  in  compliance  with  that 
demand,  would  commit  both  governments  to  the  American 
principle  irrevocably  for  the  future. 

You  are  right  about  President  Lincoln's  drafting  an  argu 
ment  for  retaining  them,  which  he  afterward  threw  aside.  But 
it  seems  not  to  have  been  destroyed.  Nicolay  and  Hay  found 
it  among  his  papers  and  published  it  in  one  of  their  chapters  in 
"The  Century." 


GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  153 

Butterfield's  second  Lincoln  incident  was  substantially  as 
follows :  The  announcement  had  been  made  by  letter  from 
General  Hooker  to  the  President  that  he  was  about  to  com 
mence  operations  in  the  spring  of  1863,  but  no  explanation  of 
the  exact  character  of  the  Chancellorsville  movement  had  been 
intimated.  The  letters  from  Mr.  Lincoln  to  Hooker  rather 
seemed  to  intimate  a  desire  on  his  part  to  know  what  General 
Hooker  was  about  to  do,  but  no  express  direction  or  command 
that  he  should  communicate  it.  A  letter  came  about  this  time 
which  caused  Hooker  to  say  that  he  supposed  he  should  com 
municate  to  the  President,  as  Commancler-in-Chief,  an  idea  of 
what  his  campaign  was  to  be.  But  he  feared  to  do  so,  lest 
knowledge  of  his  movement  should  leak  out,  not  so  much 
through  Mr.  Lincoln  as  through  the  confidential  statements  that 
his  advisors  and  those  who  surrounded  him  would  be  very  likely 
to  make  to  their  friends,  and  thus  knowledge  of  it  would  reach 
the  enemy. 

"How  shall  we  manage  it,"  he  asked,  "to  have  the  President 
know  the  plan  of  campaign  and  not  have  any  one  else  know  it? 
If  I  write,  the  correspondence  might  take  the  usual  course,  and 
the  clerks  or  somebody  else  will  see  it,  and  without  any  inten 
tion  of  doing  any  harm.  A  matter  of  such  importance,  it  is 
hard  to  keep  some  of  the  Cabinet  from  talking  about.  It  will, 
I  fear,  reach  the  enemy's  lines.  What  shall  I  do?" 

To  the  suggestion  that  he  should  go  in  person,  have  a  private 
interview  with  Mr.  Lincoln,  and  tell  him,  General  Hooker  re 
plied :  "No;  if  I  go  to  the  President  he  may  want  to  bring 
others  in  to  hear.  The  newspapers  will  attribute  my  visit  to 
Washington  to  some  other  purpose.  The  country  will  not  be 
satisfied  at  the  Commander  leaving  the  army  at  such  a  time  to 
go  to  Washington.  No;  you  go  to  Washington  and  tell  Mr. 
Lincoln  my  instructions  are  that  you  shall  not  divulge  or  say 
anything  about  the  plans  or  movements  of  the  campaign  to  any 
person,  but  only  to  him  alone ;  that  it  won't  leak  out  here,  and 
that  no  one  else  knows  anything  about  it  but  yourself  and  I ; 
that  if  it  leaks  out  it  will  not  do  so  here.  Go  up  to-night. 
I  will  telegraph  the  President  you  are  coming  there  in  the 


154  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 

morning,  and  tell  him  what  we  are  about  to  do."  A  dispatch 
was  sent  Mr.  Lincoln  announcing  my  arrival  in  Washington 
the  next  morning  to  tell  him  of  the  campaign  proposed. 

Suggesting  to  General  Hooker  that  it  would  be  very  em 
barrassing  to  make  such  a  verbal  statement  to  the  President 
with  regard  to  the  privacy  of  the  interview,  and  that  a  letter 
should  be  prepared  by  him  to  the  President  stating  that  the 
instructions  and  orders  were  for  him  only,  would  save  much 
embarrassment  in  the  premises.  General  Hooker  accepted  the 
suggestion,  and  such  a  letter  was  prepared  to  President  Lincoln, 
which  stated  briefly  that  General  Hooker's  Chief  of  Staff  was 
to  visit  Washington,  communicate  the  proposed  plan  of  opera 
tion  to  him  alone,  and  not  in  the  presence  of  any  other  person. 

Arriving  at  Washington  about  9  o'clock  the  next  morning 
with  this  letter,  proceeding  immediately  to  the  White  House, 
it  was  evident  that  the  visit  was  expected.  Being  directed  at 
once  to  the  door  of  the  President's  room  where  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  receiving  his  Cabinet  and  Senators,  as  well  as  all  offi 
cial  visitors,  the  doorkeeper  was  asked  if  the  President  was  in. 

"Yes,  and  waiting  for  you,  General."  "Is  there  anybody  with 
him  ?"  "Yes,  most  all  the  Cabinet  and  a  good  many  Senators." 
The  letter  from  General  Hooker  to  the  President  which  con 
tained  the  instructions  to  tell  him  alone  was  sent  to  the  Presi 
dent. 

The  messenger  returned  with  directions  for  my  immediate 
presentation  to  the  President.  Entering  the  room,  there  was  a 
notable  gathering.  Secretaries  Seward,  Chase,  Stanton,  Wells, 
Blair,  Senators  Fessenden,  Nye,  Wade,  and  Sumner,  with 
others  of  note,  were  among  those  nearly  filling  the  room. 

The  eyes  of  every  person  turned  toward  me  with  eagerness, 
which  told  at  once  that  they  were  aware  of  the  purpose  of 
my  visit.  None  more  clearly  expressed  intense  anxiety  than 
the  President  himself.  The  situation  was  full  of  embarrass 
ment  Bowing  respectfully  to  the  President  and  other  gen 
tlemen,  and  expressing  only  by  looks,  not  by  words,  a  desire 
to  be  relieved  from  the  situation,  the  President  opened  the  con 
versation,  saying,  "General,  we  are  glad  to  see  you.  We  are 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  155 

very  anxious  to  hear  what  you  have  to  tell  us."  "Please  ex 
cuse  me,  Mr.  President,"  was  the  reply;  "you  will  see  by  the 
letter  brought  that  instructions  and  orders  forbid  telling  you 
what  you  wish  to  hear  in  the  presence  of  any  other  person. 
You  have  your  Cabinet  and  a  number  of  Senators.  Permit 
me  to  withdraw  and  remain  in  Mr.  Hay's  room  until  you  are  at 
leisure."  The  President  looked,  opened  the  letter  again  he 
had  in  his  hand,  and  read  aloud  a  brief  portion,  which  portion 
covered  the  instructions  of  privacy.  "That  is  so,  General; 
don't  go.  I  am  very  anxious  to  hear  you."  This  was  an  evi 
dent  invitation  to  the  others  that  they  must  retire. 

Would  that  the  skill  of  the  painter's  pencil  might  delineate 
the  scene  at  this  moment,  and  the  expression  on  the  faces  of 
the  various  distinguished  gentlemen  there  as  it  clearly  dawned 
upon  them  that  the  President  intended  that  they  should  retire. 

Mr.  Seward's  face  was  genial  and  smiling  as  he  left  the 
room.  A  look  seemed  to  say,  "General,  you  have  the  advan 
tage  of  us  all,  this  morning."  Mr.  Chase,  grand,  handsome 
man  as  he  was,  showed  no  sign  of  displeasure,  but  rather  of 
enjoyment  at  the  turn  of  affairs,  and  gave  me  a  pleasant  word 
and  a  pleasant  smile.  Stanton's  face  was  black  as  a  thunder 
cloud;  anger  and  displeasure  and  disappointment  were  plainly 
expressed  as  if  by  words  or  violent  language ;  his  manner  cold 
and  austere,  with  no  response  to  a  respectful  salutation  as  he 
passed  out,  and  so  in  turn,  and  very  quickly,  every  person 
passed  out  of  the  room  save  Senator  Sumner. 

The  President,  at  the  end  of  the  room,  seated  in  a  large  arm 
chair  by  a  desk,  near  a  window  overlooking  the  Potomac.  On 
the  opposite  side  of  a  long  table  in  the  room  stood  Senator 
Sumner,  always  a  grave,  dignified  man,  looking  across  the 
table  with  an  expression  that  seemed  to  say,  "Now,  sir,  you 
can  go  on;  there  is  nobody  here  but  myself  and  the  President." 
He  passed  his  fingers  through  his  locks  in  a  manner  that  was 
peculiar  to  himself;  not  a  word  was  said.  Breaking  the  silence 
with  the  remark,  "Mr.  President,  the  Senator  has  precedence; 
undoubtedly  he  has  something  of  importance  to  say  to  you. 
Permit  me  to  withdraw  to  Mr.  Hay's  room,  and  send  for  me 


156 

later."  Mr.  Lincoln,  in  a  strong,  earnest  manner,  replied: 
"General,  I  am  very  anxious  to  hear  what  you  have  to  tell  me ; 
do  not  go.  Mr.  Senator,  what  can  I  do  for  you?"  Senator 
Sumner  looked  at  me  with  an  expression  which  unmistakably 
said,  as  plainly  as  words  could  have  said  it,  "I  don't  want  you  to 
hear."  It  was  a  situation  of  great  embarrassment  for  me. 
The  Senator  took  from  his  hat,  on  the  table  before  him,  a 
bundle  of  papers  folded  in  the  usual  legal  form,  very  much  as 
a  lawyer,  as  he  enters  court  with  documents  and  briefs,  would 
lay  down  when  preparing  to  address  the  court.  Taking  these 
papers  he  commenced  pulling  them  out,  one  after  another,  and 
with  each  one  made  some  request  of  the  President. 

One  would  be  for  a  postmaster's  appointment  at  some  place ; 
another  for  a  leave  of  absence  or  furlough.  No  sooner  was  any 
request  made  than  came  the  reply  from  Mr.  Lincoln,  "Granted, 
Mr.  Senator;  please  say  to  the  Secretary  that  I  so  request." 

Request  after  request  came,  none  of  them  of  any  great  im 
portance,  but  all  of  them  dispatched  and  the  business  finished 
in  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time,  and  again  the  Senator 
turned,  with  a  look  at  me,  that  told  something  was  coming  that 
he  did  not  wish  me  to  hear.  Again  turning  to  the  President, 
putting  his  hands  up  through  his  hair  in  that  peculiar  manner 
that  those  who  have  seen  him  in  the  Senate  can  well  recall. 
Dropping  down  his  massive  jaw,  he  commenced.  I  do  not 
endeavor  to  give  his  exact  language,  but  my  best  recollection 
of  it  is :  "Mr.  President,  you  are  aware,  without  doubt,  that 
I  enjoy  the  confidence  of  a  very  large  number  of  leaders,  and 
represent  the  men  of  our  party  in  all  parts  of  the  country?" 
"Certainly,  Mr.  Senator,"  replied  the  President.  "I  don't  know 
that  you  are  aware  that  daily  I  receive  numerous  letters  from 
all  parts  of  the  country,  expressing  opinions  and  views  of  in 
telligent  men  of  the  Republican  party?"  "Such  must  be  the 
case,  Mr.  Sumner." 

"I  have  had  many  letters  upon  a  subject  which  has  awakened 
a  great  deal  of  feeling  in  our  party  throughout  the  country. 
You  have  issued  an  order  which  has  relieved  General  Saxton 
from  the  command,  in  front  of  Charleston,  and  placed  General 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  157 

Gilmore  in  command.  The  fact  that  General  Saxton  has  issued 
an  order  freeing  the  colored  people  (slaves)  who  enter  our 
lines,  is  known,  and  these  letters  that  come  to  me  communicate 
the  general  expression  of  feeling,  and  the  view  taken  that  your 
action  has  been  as  a  reprimand  or  disapproval  of  this  order 
and  the  course  pursued  by  General  Saxton,  with  regard  to  the 
colored  people.  There  has  been  very  great  feeling  shown 
in  my  letters.  I  have  many  of  them  to  show  you,  if 
you  desire  to  see  them.  This  action  is  doing  injury  to 
the  party,  and  it  is  the  cause  of  my  visit  this  morning  to  con 
vey  these  facts  to  you.'' 

"Well,  Mr.  Senator,  I  am  sorry  that  there  is  any  such  feeling 
or  view  taken.  It  is  entirely  unwarranted.  I  will  tell  you  the 
whole  story.  It  is  simply  this  :  General  Gilmore,  whom  I  had 
never  seen  or  heard  of,  was  over  in  New  York.  He  went  to 
Mr.  Greeley  and  some  of  our  friends  there,  and  gave  them  the 
idea  of  his  proposed  plan  of  operations,  and  what  he  thought 
he  could  accomplish  in  front  of  Charleston,  reducing  the  for 
tifications  with  long-range  guns.  He  is  an  officer  of  engineers, 
a  trained  soldier.  Our  friends  there  were  very  much  impressed 
with  what  he  had  to  say,  and  wrote  asking  permission  to  bring 
him  to  Washington  and  have  us  hear  him.  We  telegraphed  at 
once  to  bring  him  over.  Mr.  Greeley  came  over  with  General 
Gilmore,  and  to  Mr.  Stanton  and  Mr.  Chase,  with  myself  and 
others,  he  detailed  his  plans  and  ideas,  and  we  all  were  very 
much  impressed  with  them.  It  seemed  to  us  a  wise  thing  to  do, 
and  it  was  decided  to  give  the  order  to  place  General  Gilmore 
in  command.  No  one  ever  thought  of  any  orders  given  by 
General  Saxton.  There  was  no  intended  disapprobation  of 
them.  The  subject  was  not  thought  of,  or  talked  of,  in  con 
nection  with  putting  General  Gilmore  in  command.  You  are  at 
liberty  to  say  to  all  of  our  people,  and  to  the  newspaper  men 
and  the  press  generally.  Let  the  explanation  go  out  in  semi 
official  manner.  I  will  fully  confirm  it.  There  is  no  feeling 
with  regard  to  the  course  General  Saxton  has  pursued,  and 
such  a  thing  was  not  thought  of." 

"But,"  said  the  Senator,  "Mr.  President,  General  Saxton  is 


158  GENEBAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

very  highly  thought  of  by  our  people  in  consequence  of  his 
actions,  and  I  am  very  much  interested  in  him.  He  has  a 
natural  feeling  of  pride,  that  pertains  to  officers  of  the  army, 
that  the  ranking  officer  should  command.  General  Saxton  is 
of  higher  rank  than  General  Gilmore.  He  is  perfectly  willing 
that  General  Gilmore  should  carry  out  all  plans  and  operations, 
and  not  to  interfere  with  them  at  all.  But  with  the  pride  and 
spirit  of  the  old  army  officers  he  simply  desires,  and  his  friends 
desire  with  him,  that  the  ranking  officer  should  command.  It 
will  not  interfere  with  General  Gilmore  in  carrying  out  the 
operations." 

"You  say,  Mr.  Senator,  that  they  are  both  Brigadier- 
Generals  ?" 

"Yes;  and  General  Saxton  is  the  ranking  officer." 

"Will  it  be  entirely  satisfactory  to  you,  Mr.  Senator,  and  all 
our  friends,  and  General  Saxton,  if  the  ranking  officer  is  in 
command." 

"Perfectly  so,  Mr.  President." 

"Very  well/'  said  Mr.  Lincoln;  "I  will  arrange  it.  I  will 
have  General  Gilmore  made  a  Major-General." 

I  could  not  repress  a  smile.  It  was  hard  to  keep  from  laugh 
ing  at  the  quick  response  and  the  prompt  action  of  the  Presi 
dent  in  taking  the  Senator  upon  his  proposition  and  thus  meet 
ing  it.  The  expression  of  the  Senator  I  shall  never  forget.  It 
was  of  discomfiture  and  dissatisfaction  most  marked. 

"Is  there  anything  further?"  said  the  President. 

"Nothing,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Sumner,  with  great  dignity. 

"Good  morning,  Senator,"  said  the  President,  and  Mr.  Sum 
ner  retired.  No  longer  able  to  repress  the  emotion  the  inter 
view  had  caused,  I  laughed  and  remarked :  "Mr.  President,  is 
that  the  way  Major-Generals  are  made?" 

His  face  assumed  an  expression  of  gravity,  amounting  al 
most  to  severity,  saved  but  from  that  by  a  twinkle  of  humor  in 
his  eye,  as  he  replied :  "General,  we  have  to  manage  all  sorts 
of  ways  to  get  along  with  this  terrible  war  position.  I  am  very 
anxious  to  hear  what  you  have  to  tell  me.  Sit  down."  I  sat 
down,  and  gave  him  a  full  account  of  the  proposed  campaign 


GENERAL   DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  159 

of  Chancellorsville,  which  failed  in  its  complete  success  and 
execution  by  reasons  that  I  will  not  now  discuss. 

Here  I  might  tell  an  incident  of  Mr.  Lincoln  that  is  some 
what  appropriate,  but  not  truthfully  entirely  so.  An  immense 
amount  of  correspondence  had  been  sent  to  him,  in  which  were 
many  accusations  and  counter-accusations,  letters  and  explana 
tions  concerning  the  failure  to  get  the  pontoons  to  Fredericks- 
burg  in  time  for  Burnside.  Many  thought  Mr.  Lincoln  would 
remove  or  court-martial  somebody.  He  indorsed  the  papers, 
"In  my  opinion  Mr.  Lee  caused  this  trouble." 

The  concluding  incident,  as  related  by  General  Butterfield, 
occurred  when  the  President,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Lincoln 
and  their  youngest  son,  "Tad,''1  made  a  visit  to  Hooker's  head 
quarters,  before  the  commencement  of  the  Chancellorsville  cam 
paign,  and  remained  several  days,  being  lodged  in  army  tents, 
and  taking  pot  luck  under  canvas.  Mr.  Lincoln  visited  the 
camps  of  all  the  army  corps,  and  among  others  the  Third 
Corps.  To  enable  the  men  to  have  a  good  look  at  him,  and  to 
enable  him  to  see  the  real  affection  felt  for  him  by  the  sol 
diers,  no  formation  of  troops  was  made,  but  the  company  offi 
cers  and  men  assembled,  with  their  side  arms,  in  uniform  on 
the  color  lines  of  their  camps,  and  every  regiment  and  battery 
was  at  liberty  to  welcome  the  President  with  such  emblems, 
tokens  and  cheers  as  they  desired. 

The  camps  covered  an  undulating  plain  near  Falmouth,  with 
here  and  there  a  grove  of  trees,  and  these,  as  well  as  the  turf, 
was  already  greened  in  the  early  Southern  spring.  The  sol 
diers  had  thrown  arches  of  evergreens  over  the  roadway  at  in 
tervals,  decorated  with  flags  and  flowers.  Bands  were  play 
ing,  and  the  President  passed  through  the  camps.  The  men 
cheered  to  the  echo  again  and  again.  Thousands  of  them 
crowded  around  his  horse,  hoping  to  touch  his  hand  or  hear 
his  voice  or  look  into  his  eyes — those  deep,  fathomless  eyes, 
half  closed,  as  if  to  hide  their  sadness.  The  field  and  staff 
officers  of  the  corps,  together  with  the  division  brigade,  regi 
mental  and  battery  commanders,  were  all  mounted  and  in  full 
uniform,  assembled  on  the  road  to  the  camp  to  serve  as  an 


160  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

escort  to  the  President,  as  brilliant  a  cortege  as  ever  attended 
a  monarch.  The  artillery  was  the  signal  for  the  huzzahs  of 
thousands  of  men  as  the  Presidential  party  approached.  It  was 
a  triumphal  march.  The  soldiers  showed  their  affection  for 
Lincoln,  and  gave  expression  to  it  in  many  ways.  They  were 
allowed  their  own  way  that  day. 

The  sound  of  those  manly  cheers  of  the  soldiers  and  the  touch 
of  so  many  hands  and  the  fire  of  so  many  brave  eyes  awakened 
fresh  life  in  his  pale  and  anxious  face.  It  was  something  to 
feel,  even  for  a  moment,  the  burden  of  that  heavy  heart  had 
been  lightened.  He  seemed  to  feel  like  another  man.  A  col 
lation  was  served  at  headquarters.  The  officers  were  presented 
to  him,  and  then  the  ladies  came  forward. 

On  this  occasion  Mrs.  Lincoln  did  not  accompany  the  Presi 
dent,  as  the  fatigue  of  several  such  journeys  over  bad  roads 
had  been  too  much  for  her.  Several  ladies  belonging  to  the 
families  of  the  officers,  who  were  visiting  their  husbands  before 
the  campaign  opened,  were  at  the  Third  Corps  headquarters. 
Among  them  was  the  Princess  Salm-Salm,  the  wife  of  a  Ger 
man  Prince,  Colonel  Salm-Salm,  commander  of  a  regiment  in 
the  Eleventh  Corps. 

The  Princess  Salm-Salm,  a  very  beautiful  woman,  led  the 
way,  and  as  she  approached  to  be  presented  to  the  President, 
she  said  to  Sickles,  "General,  he  is  a  dear,  good  man,  we  want 
to  kiss  him;  would  it  do  any  harm?''  "Not  a  bit  of  harm.  I 
am  only  sorry  not  to  be  in  his  place,"  was  the  gallant  reply.  A 
glance  from  the  Princess  toward  the  ladies  following  in  her 
train  was  all  that  was  necessary.  They  quickly  surrounded  Mr. 
Lincoln,  embracing  and  kissing  him  with  eagerness  and  fervor, 
although  it  was  not  easy  for  them  to  reach  up  six  feet  four.  If 
a  squadron  of  cavalry  had  surrounded  the  President  and 
charged  right  down  upon  him,  he  could  not  have  been  more 
helpless,  or  more  confused,  yet  he  smiled  and  laughed,  and 
seemed  warmly  touched  by  this  public  expression  of  hearty, 
sincere  admiration  and  sympathy. 

Our  brilliant  escort — some  two  hundred  mounted  officers — 
accompanied  the  President  back  to  our  headquarters.  Long 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  161 

after  we  had  left  the  camp  we  heard  the  cheers  of  the  soldiers, 
to  which  Lincoln  listened  in  rapt  attention,  saying,  as  they 
died  away,  "Morituri  te  salutem" — "We  who  are  to  die  salute 
thee." 

The  next  day  everybody  at  headquarters  knew  that  General 
Sickles  was  quite  out  of  favor  with  Mrs.  Lincoln.  Now,  if  it  be 
true  that  village  gossip  runs  an  express  train,  it  may  be  said  that 
camp  gossip  goes  by  telegraph.  Caudle  lectures  and  family 
jars  in  a  tent  are  not  confined  to  the  people  concerned.  They 
are  heard  by  the  guards,  and  by  the  occupants  of  the  neighbor 
ing  tent.  So  it  was  known  that  Lincoln  had  been  subjected  to 
an  unhappy  quarter  of  an  hour  for  allowing  the  Princess  Salm- 
Salm,  and  other  ladies,  to  kiss  him.  No  matter  how  strongly 
he  protested  his  innocence,  his  good  wife  could  not  be  quieted. 
"But,  mother,  hear  me,"  the  President  pleaded.  "Don't  mother 
me,"  rejoined  the  indignant  spouse ;  "and  as  for  General 
Sickles,  he  will  hear  what  I  think  of  him  and  his  lady  guests. 
It  was  well  for  him  that  I  was  not  there  at  the  time." 

When  General  Hooker  suggested  myself,  said  Butterfield,  as 
a  representative  of  the  army  to  accompany  the  President  and 
his  wife  back  to  Washington,  he  quickly  changed  his  views 
when  it  was  suggested  that  it  would  be  a  good  joke  to  give 
Sickles  an  opportunity  to  set  the  matter  right  with  Mrs.  Lin 
coln  by  designating  him.  It  was  so  ordered,  and  Sickles  was 
directed  to  repair  to  Acquia  Creek,  on  the  lower  Potomac,  for 
duty.  So  far  as  the  President  was  concerned  the  General  got 
on  well  enough,  but  Mrs.  Lincoln  would  have  nothing  to  say  to 
him — not  a  word,  not  a  look. 

The  President  had,  of  course,  noticed  her  freezing  coldness 
whenever  Sickles  was  present,  and  did  all  he  could  to  relieve  the 
embarrassment.  At  length,  when  supper  was  announced,  and 
all  were  at  the  table,  the  President  at  once  began  to  talk  in  the 
most  cheerful  mood,  relating  anecdote  after  anecdote  in  his 
own  inimitable  way,  but  making  no  impression  on  his  wife. 
She  was  marble.  At  length  Mr.  Lincoln  turned  to  General 
Sickles,  and  said:  "I  never  knew  until  last  night  that  you 
were  a  very  pious  man."'  Quite  taken  back  by  this  unmerited 


162  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

statement,  Sickles  replied  that  he  feared  he  had  been  misin 
formed.  "Not  at  all,"  said  the  President,  with  simulated 
gravity.  "Mother  says  you  are  the  greatest  Psalmist  in  the 
army.  She  says  you  are  more  than  a  Psalmist,  you  are  a 
Salm-Salmist." 

This  was  too  much  for  Mrs.  Lincoln's  gravity.  The  good 
lady  joined  in  the  hearty  laughter  all  round  the  table,  and  for 
gave  General  Sickles. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  General  Butterfield 
was  honored  by  being  selected  to  present  the  standards  of  the 
returned  regiments  of  New  York  State  troops  to  Governor 
Fenton,  in  front  of  the  Capitol,  at  Albany,  on  which  interesting 
occasion,  in  the  presence  of  a  vast  assemblage  of  citizens,  offi 
cials  and  distinguished  guests,  including  General  Grant,  he  de 
livered  the  following  address : 

"YOUR  EXCELLENCY,  SENATORS,  MEMBERS  OF  ASSEMBLY 
AND  CITIZENS — I  am  requested  to  present  you  these  flags  in 
behalf  of  your  soldiers,  who  have  borne  them  with  courage  and 
honor  in  the  changing  fortunes  of  battle.  Many  of  these  regi 
ments  are  not  represented  here — save  by  these — and  the  joy 
that  fills  our  hearts  at  the  success  of  our  arms,  for  of  that 
success  they  are  part.  The  record  of  their  deeds  would  fill 
volumes.  Time  will  not  permit  that  I  should  recount  them 
here.  The  brave  heads  that  yielded  life  while  bearing  these 
banners  in  defense  of  liberty,  the  majesty  of  the  law,  the  safety, 
honor  and  welfare  of  the  country,  are  buried  on  every  field  of 
our  recent  conflict.  From  the  Susquehanna  to  the  Potomac, 
from  the  Potomac  to  the  James,  from  the  James  to  the  Roanoke, 
from  the  Shenandoah  to  the  Cumberland,  from  the  Cumberland 
to  the  Tennessee,  through  the  Mississippi  Valley,  East  and  West, 
over  the  plains  of  Texas,  from  the  Tennessee  to  the  Chatta- 
hoochie,  from  the  Chattahoochie  to  the  Savannah,  and  from 
the  Savannah  back  to  the  Roanoke.  The  mighty  rivers  that 
flow  to  the  Gulf  and  Atlantic  have  been  crimsoned  with  patriot 
blood.  The  plains,  the  valleys  and  the  mountainsides  hold  the 
honored  dead  who  fought  our  battles.  Their  names  and  fame 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  163 

are  recorded  for  all  time  on  the  archives  of  your  Government ; 
their  memories  are  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of  a  grateful  people. 

"Those  standards  are  returned  battle-scarred,  hallowed  by 
the  blood  of  your  patriot  sons — precious  boon,  a  priceless 
legacy,  for  they  shall  tell  your  children's  children  of  manhood 
and  patriotism  rising  in  their  might  to  sustain  the  right.  These 
are  glorious  insignia  of  the  highest  devotion  and  sacrifice  of 
man  for  man,  of  man  for  country.  I  need  not  ask  you,  since 
by  the  aid  of  Almighty  God  the  valor  of  our  arms  has  achieved 
such  signal  success,  that  you  will  cherish  them  without  re 
venge,  cherish  them  only  as  proud  mementoes  of  the  triumph 
of  right.  The  war  is  at  an  end.  The  brave  and  noble  chieftain — 
who  led  our  armies  to  victory  in  the  field — prescribed  the  terms 
by  which  the  conquered  foe  might  rest,  vested  with  full  power. 
When  war,  by  force  of  arms,  had  superseded  civil  law,  your 
chosen  general  told  the  fallen  enemy,  'Lay  down  your  arms ; 
obey  the  law,  and  war  shall  end !  You  are  unmolested  during 
good  behavior.'  Do  you  ask  vengeance?  The  brave  are  gen 
erous.  Vengeance  for  the  best  blood  of  your  youth  spilled  be 
neath  the  folds  of  these  historic  banners !  Then  bid  the  dis 
armed  foe  to  live  amid  the  scenes  of  desolation  and  woe  wrought 
by  his  treason — to  live  with  the  horrible  recollection  of  thou 
sands  of  brave,  loyal  men  brought  to  nakedness,  hunger,  famine, 
idiocy  and  death  by  their  cruel  imprisonment.  Thus  to  live — 
only  to  pray  for  death's  relief  from  such  a  life. 

"The  names  of  those  traitors  who,  children  of  our  common 
country — educated,  trained  and  nurtured  by  it — honored  with 
its  sorrow,  bound  to  it  by  manhood's  oath — the  names  of  these 
shall  go  down  forever,  companions  in  infamy  with  Benedict 
Arnold.  They  are  punished. 

"Rather  than  the  implied  faith  and  honor  of  the  nation 
should  be  broken,  better  that  all  should  escape.  The  offended 
majesty  of  the  civil  law  may  deal  justly  with  those  traitors, 
who,  honored  with  place  and  power  at  the  hands  of  an  inno 
cent,  confiding  people,  used  gifts  for  years  to  plant  the  germ  of 
treason,  in  the  vain  attempt  to  overthrow  this  Government,  that 
slavery,  despotism  and  sin  might  thrive  upon  its  ruin.  Sad- 


164  GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

dened  hearts  and  lonely  hearthstones  in  our  land,  mourning  our 
martyred  chief  and  fallen  heroes — victims  alike  of  such  treason 
— ask  rather  in  sorrow,  than  in  anger,  that  these  shall  meet 
with  justice — a  warning  for  those  who  would  hereafter  force 
Civil  Government  from  the  hands  of  a  free  people,  to  rest  upon 
bayonets,  'bed  rock'  of  that  civilization  where  men  are  no  longer 
free.  All  wars  are  waged  for  principles  or  interest.  Adher 
ing  to  the  principles  in  defense  of  which  we  drew  the  sword, 
let  us  turn  to  reconciliation  and  the  acts  of  peace,  and  reverence 
these  glorious  war-worn  flags  as  mementoes  of  the  power  and 
will  of  the  people — the  glory  of  our  arms,  the  saved  and  sacred 
honor  of  our  country. 

"To  you,  who  tread  the  paths  of  politics  and  State,  the  faith 
ful  soldiers  of  the  Republic,  fresh  from  the  field  of  victory  and 
fame,  now  restore  to  you  banners  and  bayonets — emblems  of 
renown  and  glories  won.  As  you  assume  the  weighty  respon 
sibilities  shifting  from  the  fields  to  the  forum,  look  at  these 
that  gave  us  order  and  rest — look  at  these  and  be  grateful  that 
our  country  has  passed  through  such  an  ordeal,  to  come  forth 
strong,  vigorous  and  powerful — even  as  gold  purified  by  fire. 
"To  those  who  would  urge  you  to  think  of  commerce  de 
stroyed  by  foreign  aid  and  comfort  furnished  with  the  hope  to 
compass  destruction,  say  to  them  boldly  that  we  are  the  gainers 
if  such  acts  establish  rules  for  our  future  guidance ;  or  better, 
tell  them  that  a  free  and  powerful  nation,  conscious  of  its 
strength,  wars  not  for  pelf  and  passion,  but  for  principles ;  that 
a  generous  appreciation  of  the  honest  hearts,  whose  sympath 
ies  were,  and  ever  are,  with  the  people  and  nation  that  strives 
for  freedom,  effaces  all  recollection  of  the  sordid,  grasping 
wretches,  that  would  trade  even  over  the  grave  of  liberty.  So 
some,  elated  with  our  success,  urge  to  new  wars.  Say  to  them 
that  did  the  emblems  speak  only  of  valor  and  success  in  arms 
as  the  lessons  of  war,  they  would  be  dearly  bought ;  that  above 
and  beyond  this  they  speak  of  man's  capacity  for  greatest  free 
dom  ;  they  speak  of  burdens  assumed  in  every  city,  village  and 
hamlet  by  all  our  people.  They  tell  the  earnestness,  the  trials, 
the  energy  and  devotion  of  patriotic  men  in  civil  power  and 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  165 

life,  who  never  faltered,  never  yielded,  never  wavered  from 
duty's  path,  that  self-government  might  be  forever  fixed. 

"This  is  no  man's  triumph,  but  a  people's  will,  and  a  nation's 
fame.  Unhallowed  ambition  gains  nothing;  honor  rests  only 
with  those  who  have  placed  their  country  and  the  right  before 
all  else.  The  full  measure  of  our  success  ends  not  with  our 
ocean-bound  limits.  Freedom,  prize  of  manhood's  heart,  in 
every  clime,  breathes  new  life,  whispers  renewed  hope,  and 
lives  for  all  time.  This  triumph  gives  to  future  ages  a  living 
monument ;  carved  not  in  brass  or  stone,  but  perpetuated  in  the 
souls  of  all  to  whom  are  given  mind's  light.  It  is  thus  God 
gives  triumph  only  to  the  right.  Ever  reading  this  in  every 
living  star  and  line  of  these  glorious  flags,  let  us  be  contented 
with  the  result.  In  the  glorious  future  that  lies  before  the 
country,  redeemed  and  strengthened  by  trial,  you  will  surely 
give  to  these  banners  an  honored  place  in  your  halls — to  those 
who  return  them  to  you,  the  warm  welcome  of  love  and  recog 
nition — to  those  who  have  fallen  in  their  defense,  tears  of 
gratitude  and  imperishable  fame. 

"  'Oh,  mothers,  sisters,  daughters,  spare  the  tear  you  fain  would 

shed — 

Who  seems  to  die  in  such  a  cause,  you  cannot  call  them  dead ; 
They  live  on  the  lips  of  men — in  picture,  bust  and  song, 
And  Nature  folds  them  in  her  heart,  and  keeps  them  safe  from 

wrong.'  r 

Commenting  on  the  admirable  address,  the  leading  Albany 
journal  said,  editorially : 

"General  Butterfield  was  the  real  orator  of  the  day.  To  a 
fine  presence  and  faultless  voice  he  added  all  the  minor  graces 
of  oratory,  gesture,  manner  and  intonation.  He  consulted  no 
manuscript,  and,  after  the  manner  of  his  Chief,  was  brief,  and, 
after  the  same  example,  was  pointed  and  vigorous.  The  stan 
dards  of  victory,  he  said,  were  the  members  of  the  triumph  of 
right — not  to  be  stained  by  revenge!  The  terms  presented  by 
the  Commander-in-Chief  (Grant)  upon  the  field  of  victory  to 
the  conquered  foe,  were  to  be  maintained :  'Lay  down  your 


166  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

arms,  obey  the  law,  and  war  shall  end.  You  are  unmolested 
during  good  behavior.'  The  intimation  in  regard  to  our  for 
eign  policy,  that  if  England's  interpretation  of  neutral  rights 
and  duties,  during  our  struggle,  is  to  be  henceforth  the  rule  of 
international  law,  'we  will  be  the  gainers,'  was  well  put  and 
full  of  significance." 

Before  the  close  of  the  year  the  accompanying  flattering  and 
well-earned  recommendations  for  promotion  were  made  by 
Generals  Hooker  and  George  H.  Thomas : 

HEADQUARTERS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  EAST, 

NEW  YORK,  Aug.  22,  1865. 
HON.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War: 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  recommend  that  the  brevet  rank  of 
Colonel  be  conferred  on  Major-General  Butterfield,  of  the  Vol 
unteer  Service,  for  gallant  and  distinguished  services  at  the 
battle  of  "Fredericksburg,"  December  13,  1862 ;  also  the  brevet 
rank  of  Brigadier-General,  for  gallant  and  meritorious  services 
in  the  battle  of  "Chancellorsville,"  May  3,  1863 ;  also  the  brevet 
rank  of  Major-General  for  gallant  and  meritorious  services  in 
the  battles  of  "Wauhatchie,"  October  28th;  "Lookout  Moun 
tain,"  November  25,  1863,  and  "Resaca,"  May  12,  1864.  The 
services  of  Major-General  Butterfield  herein  enumerated  were 
rendered  under  my  own  observation,  and  it  affords  me  great 
pleasure  to  bear  testimony  to  their  character,  in  the  sincere  hope 
that  they  may  receive  the  recognition  they  deserve. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient 

JOSEPH  HOOKER,  Major-General  Commanding. 

HEADQUARTERS,  MIL.  Div.  OF  TENN., 

NASHVILLE,  Dec.  20,  1865. 

Respectfully  forwarded,  approving  and  earnestly  endors 
ing  the  conduct  of  Maj.-Gen.  Daniel  Butterfield  in  the  battles  of 
Wauhatchie,  Lookout  Mountain  and  Resaca,  as  noticed  and 
recommended  by  Maj.-Gen.  Joseph  Hooker,  in  the  within  letter 
of  recommendation. 

GEORGE  H.  THOMAS, 

Major-General,  U.  S.  A.,  Commanding. 


GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTT ERFI ELD  16? 

August  24,  1865,  Butterfield  was  mustered  out  of  the  service 
as  Major-General  of  Volunteers,  returning  to  his  rank  in  the 
Regular  Army,  and  five  months  later,  by  order  of  the  Secre 
tary  of  War,  the  following  announcement  was  issued  by  the 
Adjutant-General : 

"By  direction  of  the  President,  Brevet  Brigadier-General 
Daniel  Butterfield,  U.  S.  Army,  Colonel  5th  U.  S.  Infantry,  is 
hereby  assigned  to  duty  according  to  his  brevet  rank,  and  will 
report  to  Major-General  Hooker,  Commanding  Department  of 
the  East,  for  assignment  to  the  command  rendered  vacant  by 
the  resignation  of  Brevet  Major-General  Henry  A.  Barnum, 
U.  S.  Volunteers." 

Early  in  1866  the  General,  in  addition  to  the  control  of  troops 
on  Governor's,  David's  and  Bedloe's  Islands,  New  York  harbor, 
was  appointed  Superintendent  of  the  General  Recruiting  Serv 
ice  of  the  Army,  a  position  which  he  filled  for  several  years  to 
the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  War  Department.  During  the 
following  year  Butterfield  applied  for  a  brief  leave  of  absence, 
as  seen  in  the  accompanying  communication : 

HEADQUARTERS,  GENERAL  RECRUITING  SERVICE, 
U.  S.  ARMY,  71  Broadway, 

NEW  YORK  CITY,  Nov.  13,  1867. 

To  THE  ADJUTANT-GENERAL,  U.  S.  A.,  Washington,  D.  C. : 

GENERAL — I  have  the  honor  to  request  permission  to  make 
my  own  headquarters,  for  one  week  or  ten  days,  at  the  resi 
dence  of  my  father  in  Oneida  County,  leaving  my  Staff  and 
officers  as  now.  All  expense  of  the  transmission  of  papers,  for 
my  action,  signature  and  directions,  will  be  borne  by  me  and 
done  by  express,  involving  one  day's  delay  beyond  what  would 
occur,  were  I  here.  I  make  this  request  in  consequence  of  the 
prostration  of  my  father's  strength  and  health  by  paralysis,  and 
his  urgent  desire  for  my  temporary  presence  with  him.  I  do 
not  think  that  any  injury  to  the  public  service  will  be  caused 
by  such  temporary  change.  Should  my  request  be  favorably 


168  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

considered,  I  have  the  honor  to  request  advice  by  telegraph 
thereof.     I  am,  General, 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD,  Bvt.  Maj. -General,  U.  S.  A., 

General  Supt.  Recruiting  Service. 

During  and  after  the  close  of  the  war,  General  Butterfield 
was  the  recipient  of  several  highly  valued  gifts  of  a  military 
character  in  addition  to  those  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work. 
Of  these  perhaps  the  most  important  was  a  sword  of  superb 
workmanship.  The  hilt,  set  with  twenty-eight  emeralds,  has 
the  figure  of  the  Goddess  of  Fame  crowning  an  armed  knight 
with  the  laurel  wreath  of  victory.  The  blade  has  in  relief  in 
firegilt  a  battle  charge,  believed  to  represent  Hanover  Court 
House,  with  the  words  "Virtute  non  Verbis."  The  blade  and 
scabbard  carry  the  names  of  some  of  the  principal  battles  in 
which  the  General  was  engaged,  and  the  inscription,  from  his 
friends  and  New  York  fellow  citizens,  as  follows:  "Pre 
sented  to  Maj  .-Gen.  Daniel  Butterfield  by  Chester  A.  Arthur, 
John  T.  Agnew,  Henry  T.  Arnold,  T.  C.  Churchill,  Leonard 
W.  Jerome,  George  L.  Kent,  C.  H.  Lilienthal,  Clinton  L.  Mer- 
riam,  James  C.  Palmer,  George  A.  Robbins,  George  B.  Satter- 
lee  and  Henry  Wells." 

The  Fifth  Corps  Badge,  set  in  diamonds  and  presented  by 
the  Staff  Officers  serving  with  General  Butterfield,  carries  on 
bars  the  battles  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  presenta 
tion  address  was  by  Col.  Thomas  J.  Hoyt,  formerly  of  the 
Twelfth  Regiment. 

The  Twentieth  Corps  Badge,  with  the  blue  star  of  that  Divi 
sion  set  in  diamonds,  carries  on  the  bars  the  battles  in  the 
Chattanooga  and  Atlanta  campaigns,  and  on  the  obverse  the 
inscription  of  presentation  from  the  officers  of  the  Third  Divi 
sion,  Twentieth  Corps.  The  presentation  address  was  by  Col. 
Samuel  Ross,  of  the  Twentieth  Connecticut  Volunteers. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  Badge  is  enameled  and  set  with 
diamonds,  and  bears  this  inscription  on  the  obverse,  "Army  of 
the  Potomac  Reunion,  Scranton,  Penn.,  Maj  .-Gen.  Daniel  But- 


Diamond    Badge,     presented     in    1895    by 

General  Butterfield  to  the  member  of 

the  Twelfth    Regiment   bringing 

in  the  largest  number  of  recruits 

during  one  year. 


£ 
o 


lifc., . ;  .-.•":•• 'A    . 
Twelfth  Regiment  Cross. 


Q_ 

O 

u 


.5 

0J 

04 


Army  of  the  Potomac  Badge. 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  169 

terfield,  from  his  comrades  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in 
recognition  of  his  services.  Maj. -Generals  E.  D.  Keyes,  W. 
B.  Franklin,  H.  W.  Slocum,  D.  E.  Sickles,  O.  O.  Howard,  F. 
J.  Porter,  Brig.-Generals  Paul  A.  Oliver,  Henry  E.  Tremain, 
Col.  E.  M.  L.  Ehlers,  Committee."  This  committee  repre 
sented  a  number  of  their  associates,  the  presentation  address 
being  made  by  General  Howard,  at  Scranton. 


170  GENEBAL   DANIEL    BUTTEREIELD 


CHAPTER    VI. 

The  Grant  Fund — Letter  from  General  Grant — Letter  from  Sheridan 
— Resigns  from  the  Army — Appointed  Sub-Treasurer — Visits 
Europe — Post-Office  Report — Married  in  London — Accompanies 
Emperor  to  Review — Dinner  to  Comte  de  Paris — Speeches  by 
Sherman,  Slocum,  Butterfield  and  the  Comte — Gifts. 

DURING  the  month  of  January,  1866,  it  was  suggested  to 
General  Butterfield,  by  Alexander  T.  Stewart,  that  the  rich 
merchants  and  other  wealthy  men  of  New  York  should  raise 
a  fund  of  at  least  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  present  it 
to  General  Grant  in  recognition  of  the  great  service  rendered 
by  him  to  the  country  during  the  Civil  War.  After  Waterloo, 
said  Mr.  Stewart,  the  British  Government  presented  Welling 
ton  with  an  estate  that  cost  one  million  and  a  half  dollars  and 
a  dukedom,  with  fifty  thousand  a  year  for  life,  to  maintain  the 
estate  and  title.  After  Appomattox,  Grant  received  neither  an 
nuity,  estate  nor  title  from  our  Republican  Government,  so  I 
think  the  omission  must,  in  a  measure,  be  made  good  by  our 
citizens.  If  you  can  spare  time  to  carry  out  the  suggestion 
you  may  put  me  down  for  five  thousand  dollars.  In  the  fol 
lowing  month,  the  General  having,  with  the  aid  of  other  in 
fluential  friends,  carried  out  with  his  characteristic  energy  the 
rich  merchant's  suggestion,  sent  the  following  letter  to  Gen 
eral  Grant  and,  two  days  later,  receiving  the  accompanying 
acknowledgment.  It  may  be  added  that  the  ostensible  pur 
pose  of  the  generous  gift  was  to  provide  a  permanent  home  in 
Washington  for  the  General-in-Chief  and  his  family. 

NEW  YORK,  Feb.  15,  1866. 
LIEUT.-GENERAL  U.  S.  GRANT  : 

GENERAL — In  accordance  with  the  request  of  many  citizens 
of  New  York,  whose  names  are  herewith  transmitted,  I  have 


Facsimile  of  letter  from  General  Grant. 


GEKEBAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  171 

the  honor  to  ask  your  acceptance  of  the  enclosed  testimonial 
of  their  appreciation  of  your  services. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 
Enclosed. 

Mortgage  and  interest $30,437.50 

55,000,  7-30's,  int.,  ist  series 54,725.00 

Cash 19,837.50 


$105,000.00 

HEADQUARTERS,  ARMIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  Feb.  17,  1866. 

DEAR  GENERAL — Your  letter  of  the  I5th  inst,  enclosing 
me  the  very  handsome  testimonial  of  the  citizens  of  New  York, 
with  names  of  all  the  too  generous  contributors  to  it,  is  re 
ceived.  I  feel  at  a  loss  to  know  how  to  express  my  appreciation 
of  this  substantial  token  of  the  friendship  of  the  citizens  named 
in  your  letter,  and  for  the  generosity  of  the  citizens  of  New 
York  generally,  and  especially  toward  those  who  they  conceive 
have  rendered  service  in  maintaining  the  integrity  of  the  whole 
Union.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  I  shall  always  appreciate  their 
generosity  toward  me,  and  endeavor  to  pursue  a  course  through 
life,  and  to  make  such  use  of  the  means  thus  unexpectedly 
placed  in  my  possession,  as  will  meet  with  their  approval. 

Through  you  I  wish  to  thank  the  gentlemen  whose  names 
you  have  enclosed  to  me,  individually  and  collectively. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be 

Your  obedient  servant, 

U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant-General. 

LIST  OF  SUBSCRIPTIONS  AND  ACCOUNT  OF  EXPENDITURES — 
TESTIMONIAL  TO  LIEUT.-GEN.  U.  S.  GRANT. 

Aspinwall,  W.  H $1,000       Corning,   H.   K 1,000 

Astor,    W.    B 1,000       Culver,   C.   V 1,000 

Brown,    James 1,000       Cutting,   F.   B 1,000 

Barney,  D.  W 1,000       Claflin,   H.   B.,  &  Co 1,000 

Bonner,    Robert 1,000       Chittenden,   S.   B 1,000 

Clews,  Henry 1,000       Drew,    Daniel 1,000 


172 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 


Dinsmore,  W.    B 1,000 

Duncan,   Sherman   &   Co 1,000 

Davis,   Charles   Augustus....  1,000 

Eno,   Amos   R 1,000 

Fearing,   Daniel   B 1,000 

Forbes,  Paul  S 1,000 

Green,  John  C 1,000 

Griswold,  N.  L.  &  G 1,000 

Garrison,  C.  K 1,000 

Grinell,   Mintum  &  Co 1,000 

Gandy,  Shephard 1,000 

Harbecks  &  Co 1,000 

Rowland  &  Aspinwall 1,000 

Holliday,    Benjamin 1,000 

Hunt,  Tillinghast  &  Co 1,000 

Johnston,  John  T 1,000 

Johnston,    J.    Bowman 1,000 

Lanier,  J.  F.  D 1,000 

Lenox,   James 1,000 

Leary,    Arthur 1,000 

Low,  A.  A.,  &  Bro 1,000 

Lorillard,    Peter 1,000 

Morgan,  E.  D.,  &  Co 1,000 

Matthews,  Edward 1,000 

N.    Y.    Stock    Ex.,    by    R.    L. 

Cutting,  President 5,000 

Ogden,   William   B 1,000 

Opdyke,  George,  &  Co 1,000 

Phelps,  Dodge  &  Co 1,000 

Parish,    Daniel 1,000 

Roberts,  Marshall  0 1,000 

Stewart,    Alexander   T 5,000 

Spofford,  Tileston   &  Co 1,000 

Stuart,  R.  L.  &  A 1,000 

Sampson,   Joseph 1,000 

Taylor,  Moses 1,000 

Tilden,    Samuel   J 1,000 

Wetmore,   Samuel 1,000 

Wolfe,  John  D 1,000 

Weston  &  Gray 1,000 

Wheeler,  Samuel  G 1,000 

Ashley,    Ossian   D 500 

Allen,  Daniel  B 500 

Anthony  &  Hall 500 

American  Express  Co 500 

Arnold,  Constable  &  Co 500 

Armstrong,  M.,  &  Sons 500 

Andrews,   Loring 500 

Brooks,  Daniel  H 500 


Beekman,  James  W 

Babcock  Bros.  &  Co 

Banker,  James  H 

Baker,  H.  J.,  &  Bro 

Ball,  Black  &  Co 

Bronson,   Frederick 

Cash   

Cowdin,    Elliot    C 

Collins,  George  C 

Cary  &  Co 

Cutting,  R.   L 

Connolly,  C.  M 

Dows,    David 

Dabney,  Morgan  &  Co.... 

Delmonico,    Lorenzo , 

Detmold,    C.    E , 

Englis,  J.,  &  Son , 

Easton  &  Co , 

Field,  Benjamin  H 

Grant,  O.  D.  F , 

Greenleaf,  Norris  &  Co..., 

Groesbeck,  D.,  &  Co 

Garland,  John  R 

Goodridge,  Frederick 

Griswold,  Almon  W , 

Hoyt,    Edwin 

Hanna,   Samuel 

Howe,  I.  C.,  &  Co 

Hurlbut,   H.    A 

Hoyt    Brothers 

Haggerty,   Ogden 

Kennedy,  R.  Lenox 

Lane,  Frederick  A 

Livingston,   Fox  &  Co 

Lang,  W.  Bailey,  &  Co 

Lord,  Rufus  L 

Learned,   Edward 

Morton,  L.  P.,  &  Co 

Meyer,   Samuel  H 

Marshall,  C.  H.,  &  Co 

Mitchell,   Samuel  L 

Mali,  Henry  W.  T 

Polhamus,   T.,   &  Co 

Place,  J.  K.  &  E.  B 

Phelps,   John  Jay 

Phelps,  Isaac  N 

Quintard,  Sawyer  &  Ward. 

Quintard  &  Everett 

Robbins,  G.  S.,  &  Son 


500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 


173 


Randolph,   Frederick   F 

Russell,  Charles  H 

Roosevelt  &  Sons 

Selover,  A.  A 

Shultz,  Jackson  S 

Sturgis,   Jonathan 

Steward,   John 

Stuart,  J.  &  J , 

Slade  &  Colby , 

Skinner,  F.,  &  Co , 

Stimson,  H.  C.,  &  Co 

Schuchardt,    Frederick , 

Travers,  W.  R.,  &  Co 

Trevor  &  Colgate 

Tiffany  &  Co 

Tuckerman,  J.  &  L 

Thompson,  Samuel  C 

Webb,  William  H 

Winslow,  J.  F 

Ward  &  Co 

Worth,  White  &  Kean 

Wood  Brothers 

Williams  &  Guion 

Draper,    Simeon 

Devlin,    Daniel 


500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
500 
250 
250 


Draper,  J.  H.,  &  Co 250 

Gentil   &   Phipps 250 

Halstead.  Haines  &  Co 250 

Jesup,   Morris  K 250 

James,  Frederick  P 250 

Lottimer,    William 250 

Morgan,  Henry  T 250 

Packer,   Elisha   A 250 

Peckham,  W.  H 250 

Skeel  &  Reynolds 250 

Skiddy,   Francis 250 

Sherman,  Isaac 250 

Taylor,   Robert  L 250 

Wesley,  Edward  B 250 

Talman,  George  F 200 

Ward,  G.  Cabot 200 

Bentley,  Norman  S 100 

King,  T.  G.,  Sons 100 

Schuyler,  Hartley  &  Graham  100 

Lockwood  &  Co 100 

Whiteright,    William 100 

Chapman,   Thomas   G 100 


Total   $105,000 


General  Butterfield  was  much  interested  in  securing  aid  for 
the  relief  of  the  famishing  citizens  of  Louisiana  and  other 
Southern  States.  The  accompanying  letters  were  found  among 
his  papers : 

HEADQUARTERS,  GENERAL  RECRUITING  SERVICE, 
U.  S.  ARMY,  71  Broadway, 

NEW  YORK  CITY,  April  30,  1867. 

ARCHIBALD  RUSSELL, 

President  Southern  Famine  Relief  Commission: 

MY  DEAR  SIR  : 

I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  a  letter  from  Major- 
General  Sheridan,  written  in  reply  to  a  private  telegram  from 
me,  stating  to  him  that  $5,000  had  been  appropriated  for  the 
purchase  of  corn  for  the  destitute,  and  asking  him  if  that 
amount  would  meet,  in  his  judgment,  such  demands  as  ought 


17Jt  GENEBAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 

to  be  complied  with.     I  have  to  request  that  the  letter  may  be 
placed  with  your  corresponding  secretary. 
I  am,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 

Brevet  Major-General,  U.  S.  A. 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIFTH  MILITARY  DISTRICT, 

NEW  ORLEANS,  LA.,  April  24,  1867. 
MY  DEAR  GENERAL  : 

I  am  in  receipt  of  your  telegram  of  the  23d  instant  about  the 
five  thousand  dollars  appropriated  for  the  relief  of  the  desti 
tute,  by  overflow,  of  this  State. 

A  very  large  area  of  the  best  plantation  districts  of  the  State 
has  been  submerged,  and  there  has  been  great  loss  of  stock, 
and  much  destitution  now  exists,  and  will,  I  fear,  for  a  long 
period. 

The  high  water  from  the  Missouri  and  Upper  Mississippi, 
from  the  melting  snow,  has  not  yet  come  down,  and  will  not  until 
late  in  May.  It  may  catch  the  present  rise  and  continue  the  over 
flow  until  late  in  the  summer.  It  will  be  a  great  charity  to 
look  after  the  victims  of  this  overflow,  for  they  will  be  com 
pletely  destitute  of  the  means  of  subsistence. 

Had  it  not  been  for  this  misfortune  Louisiana  would  have 
been  beyond  want,  or  nearly  so. 

I  am,  General, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

P.  H.  SHERIDAN,  Major-General. 

GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 

Various  considerations  induced  General  Butterfield  to  re 
sign  from  the  army.  Chief  among  these  was  the  death  of  his 
father,  the  care  of  whose  large  estate  demanded  from  him  more 
time  than  he  was  free  to  devote  to  it  while  in  the  service  of 
the  Government.  He  therefore,  not  without  much  regret,  sent 
in  his  resignation,  April  26,  1869,  as  Chief  of  the  Recruiting 
Service,  to  which  he  was  appointed  March  6,  1866,  and  was 
soon  after  appointed  by  General  Grant,  then  President,  as  the 


GENERAL    DAXIEL   BUTTERFIELD  175 

head  of  the  United  States  Sub-Treasury  in  New  York,  enter 
ing  upon  the  duties  of  his  important  office  June  23,  1869.  For 
this  position  he  possessed  business  qualifications  and  experi 
ence  admirably  fitting  him  for  the  place,  which  he  filled  suc 
cessfully  until  November  9,  1869,  when  he  resigned.  On 
March  14,  1870,  his  resignation  from  the  United  States  Army 
was  accepted,  and  he  then  retired  to  private  life,  having  given 
almost  nineteen  of  his  best  years  to  the  service  of  his  country. 

With  every  succeeding  year  we  more  and  more  realize  the 
gigantic  character  of  that  struggle  to  the  death,  in  which  our 
armies  were  engaged  more  than  two-score  years  ago ;  and  to 
future  generations  it  will  assume  its  proper  proportions  as  even 
of  more  vital  importance  than  the  Revolution.  It  was  easier 
to  gain  independence  than  it  was  to  maintain  the  integrity  of 
the  Union.  In  that  preservation  General  Butterfield  had  an 
honored  part.  His  courage  was  an  inspiration  to  the  men  he 
led  to  battle,  and,  after  the  sword  was  permitted  to  rest  in  the 
scabbard,  the  same  ability,  directed  in  other  channels,  brought 
him  the  renewed  respect  and  affection  of  his  friends  just  as  he 
long  had  the  esteem  and  admiration  of  that  great  public  which 
knew  him  only  by  reputation  as  a  gallant  citizen-soldier. 

After  his  retirement  to  private  life,  General  Butterfield  con 
tinued  to  exhibit  the  same  tireless  energy  and  zeal,  in  the  many 
business  enterprises  in  which  he  engaged,  that  characterized 
his  career  in  the  army.  He  built  a  railroad  in  Guatemala,  in 
Central  America;  he  sought,  in  two  visits  to  Russia,  to  obtain 
an  important  concession  for  another ;  he  was  President  of  the 
Albany  and  Troy  Steamboat  Company,  of  the  Apartment  Hotel 
Company,  of  the  Butterfield  Real  Estate  Company,  and  of  the 
National  Bank  of  Cold  Spring.  He  was  also  owner  of  the 
Brooklyn  Annex  boats,  connecting  with  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad,  and  a  Director  of  the  Mechanics  and  Traders  Bank  of 
New  York.  Notwithstanding  these  and  many  other  business 
claims  on  his  attention  during  three  decades,  the  General  found 
time  to  devote  to  aid  his  political  party  and  personal  friends, 
and  also,  as  we  shall  see  in  this  and  the  following  chapter, 
found  leisure  to  bestow  on  various  public  and  private  functions 


176  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

in  New  York  and  at  his  country  home  on  the  Hudson  where 
General  Scott,  James  K.  Paulding,  Gouveneur  Kemble,  and 
many  other  great  heirs  of  fame  were  frequent  visitors  almost 
half  a  century  ago.  "Cragside"  is  still  well  known  for  its  ele 
gant  hospitality,  and  within  the  past  twenty  years  many  dis 
tinguished  visitors  from  abroad  have  been  entertained  within 
its  portals. 

In  the  summer  of  1870  General  Butterfield  visited  Europe, 
and  while  there  made  a  voluntary  and  exhaustive  examination 
of  the  London  and  Paris  post-office  systems,  resulting  in  an 
elaborate  and  extended  letter,  addressed  to  J.  A.  J.  Creswell, 
then  Postmaster-General  in  Grant's  Cabinet.  Its  great  length 
prevents  its  appearance  in  this  volume,  but  the  concluding 
paragraph  of  the  able  report  contains  a  suggestion  which  is 
obviously  an  excellent  one.  The  General,  who  remained 
abroad  with  his  family  for  two  years,  says  in  his  document, 
dated  February  15,  1873: 

"One  feature  I  consider  positively  essential  for  thoroughly 
successful  management  and  administration  of  a  Metropolitan 
Postal  District — that  is,  the  employees  must  not  be  liable  to  re 
moval  with  every  political  change.  They  must  feel  a  certain 
and  positive  tenure  of  their  positions  so  long  as  their  service  is 
faithful  and  effective,  and  provision  should  be  made  for  a 
system  of  retiring  pensions  after  a  service  covering  the  period 
of  the  efficiency  in  the  life  of  employees." 

On  June  4th,  1877,  the  General  lost  his  wife,  to  whom  he 
was  married  at  her  father's  house,  in  New  York,  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Potts,  February  12,  1857.  Their  only  child,  Edgar  Brown, 
to  whom  Mr.  Bergh  referred  in  one  of  his  letters  in  an  earlier 
chapter,  died  at  the  age  of  four  years  during  the  summer  of 
1 86 1.  Writing  to  the  bereaved  father  in  August  of  that  year 
James  Emott,  of  Poughkeepsie,  says :  "I  regret  exceedingly  to 
hear  of  your  affliction — one  than  which  there  can  be  few  more 
trying." 

During  the  summer  of  1886  the  General  made  a  second  voy 
age  to  the  Old  World,  and  while  there  was  married  in  St.  Mar 
garet's  Church,  London,  September  21,  1886,  by  the  Bishop  of 


V_J 


^ 


Invitation  to  General  Wilson. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  177 

Bedford,  assisted  by  Canon  Farrar,  to  Mrs.  Julia  L.  James,  of 
New  York.  A  beautiful  wedding  breakfast  at  the  Bristol  fol 
lowed  the  ceremony,  and  cards  were  issued  the  succeeding  day, 
containing  the  accompanying  announcement : 

Married  (by  special  license  from  the  Archbishop  of  Canter 
bury)  at  St.  Margaret's,  Westminster,  London,  on  Tuesday, 
the  2ist  inst.,  by  the  Right  Reverend  the  Lord  Bishop  of  Bed 
ford,  assisted  by  the  Venerable  Archdeacon  Farrar,  D.D.,  of 
Westminster — General  Daniel  Butterfield  to  Mrs.  Julia  L. 
James,  of  New  York  and  Cold  Spring. 

Hotel  Bristol,  Burlington  Gardens,  London,  W. 

September  22,  1886.* 

Among  the  many  gifts  received  was  a  handsome  piece  of 
silver  sent  to  the  General  by  the  Comte  de  Paris.  It  was  a 
massive  and  costly  device  for  cigars,  matches  and  ashes,  all  of 
silver,  in  the  shape  of  bomb-shells,  and  bearing  an  engraved 
message  of  congratulation  in  facsimile  of  the  Comte's  hand 
writing,  as  follows :  "Presented  by  the  Comte  de  Paris  to  his 
friend,  General  Butterfield,  September,  1886,  with  best  wishes 
for  the  next  twenty-five  years."  The  latter  survived  but  fif 
teen  years,  and  the  former  but  half  that  period. 

Two  later  visits  were  made  by  General  Butterfield  to  Europe, 
and  on  both  occasions  he  went  to  Russia,  with  a  view  to  ob 
taining-  a  concession  to  build  a  railroad  to  Siberia.  While  in 


*0n  Tuesday  morning,  the  21st  September,  the  Bishop  of  Bedford  and 
Archdeacon  Farrar,  assisted  by  a  full  choir,  tied  up  in  a  workmanlike 
manner  a  gallant  (and  genuine)  American  general  officer  and  a  lady, 
•whom,  as  he  stated  at  the  breakfast  afterwards,  he  had  known  for  more 
years  than  we  care  to  remember.  The  proceedings  from  first  to  last  were 
in  that  excellent  good  taste  which  characterizes  (real)  good  American  so 
ciety,  and  might  have  been  attended  with  much  advantage  by  the  Heir 
Apparent  to  the  Throne.  He  would  have  found  himself  probably  for  the 
first  in  an  undiluted  circle  of  American  ladies  and  gentlemen.  There  are 
others,  but  H.  R.  H.  must  look  for  them,  and  that  rather  actively.  The 
Comte  de  Paris  sent  a  four-page  autograph  letter  to,  the  chief  in  whose  staff 
he  was  during  the  Civil  War.  A  double  parti  carr6e  gave  General  But 
terfield  a  "send  off"  at  the  St.  Stephen's  Club  on  the  Monday.  Two 
speeches  lasted  exactly  five  minutes.  On  Tuesday  the  Bishop  of  Bedford, 
in  wishing  long  life  and  happiness  to  the  General  and  his  wife,  late  Mrs. 
Julia  Lorillard  Safford  James,  took  up  three  minutes,  and  General  Butter- 
field's  reply  two.  The  breakfast  at  the  Bristol  was  perfect,  and  the  flow 
ers  a  dream  of  joy.  Charlie  Fraser,  V.  C.,  and  Colonel  Duncan,  C.  B.,  saw 
the  General  through  on  behalf  of  the  British  army. — "London  Society." 


178  GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 

ihis  he  was  unsuccessful,  he  was  highly  honored  by  the  social 
attentions  extended  to  him  and  to  Mrs.  Butterfield,  which  in 
cluded  a  visit  to  the  Empress,  by  the  latter,  and  to  the  General 
an  invitation  to  attend  a  grand  review.  When  he  arrived  in 
St.  Petersburg  he  was  received  by  several  officers,  accompanied 
by  Baron  Salomko,  who  was  very  near  the  throne,  and  he  was 
the  recipient  of  every  honor  that  military  etiquette  could  sug 
gest.  On  the  second  day  after  his  arrival  he  received  an  in 
vitation  to  join  the  Emperor's  Staff  at  a  grand  review  of  the 
army  at  Tzarskoe  Selo.  He  said,  "I  did  not  bring  my  uniform/' 
"But  I  did,"  answered  Mrs.  Butterfield,  "and  all  but  your 
sword  is  in  my  luggage."  So  the  uniform  of  the  Major-Gen 
eral  was  brought  out  and  tried  on,  as  he  had  not  worn  it  for 
some  time,  and  the  General  said  (facetiously)  that  it  had 
shrunken,  for  it  refused  to  button.  So  the  Baron  Salomko 
sent  for  the  Court  tailor,  and  the  necessary  alterations  were 
completed  in  time  to  start  for  St.  Petersburg  to  join  the  Im 
perial  cortege.  The  Emperor  drove  out  to  Tzarskoe  Selo  in  an 
open  phaeton,  with  the  Empress,  the  Queen  of  Greece,  and  one 
of  his  sons.  The  carriage  was  drawn  by  four  superb  white 
horses  to  where  his  brother  and  the  Royal  Princes  were,  sur 
rounded  by  all  the  foreign  ministers,  and  General  Butterfield 
found  a  fine  mount  awaiting  him,  and  as  he  rode  like  a  centaur 
the  spirited  beast  knew  he  had  a  master.  The  Emperor  jumped 
from  the  phaeton  and  mounted  his  horse,  and  rode  up  to  the 
cortege,  saluting  all  with  his  magic  bonhomie.  He  rode  straight 
up  to  General  Butterfield,  and  said : 

"General,  we  are  glad  to  see  you  here ;  I  am  fully  aware  of 
your  military  career,"  and  saluting  again  rode  off  in  front  to 
the  reviewing  stand,  which  was  a  hillock,  raised  from  the  im 
mense  plain,  about  forty  feet  high,  on  top  of  which  the  Em 
peror,  with  his  staff,  were  stationed.  He  was  a  superb  speci 
men  of  manly  strength  and  beauty,  six  feet  two  inches,  and 
weighed  nearly  three  hundred  pounds.  His  horse  was  changed 
three  times  during  the  review,  as  his  great  weight  almost 
broke  the  back  of  the  horse.  Twenty  thousand  cavalry  passed 
under  the  Emperor's  view,  each  regiment — twenty  of  them — 


179 

entirely  in  one  color :  the  first  perfectly  white — one  thousand 
white,  spotless  animals,  one  thousand  jet-black,  one  entirely  a 
bright  sorrel,  and  so  on,  and  as  each  filed  past  the  Emperor,  they 
said,  raising  their  caps,  "Long  live  the  Father,"  and  he  touched 
his  hat,  with  "Bless  you,  my  children."  It  was  one  of  the  most 
impressive  scenes  imaginable. 

Back  of  the  half-moon  grounds  was  erected  a  large  marquee, 
and  after  the  review  the  Emperor  signaled  the  General,  and 
said:  "General,  I  desire  you  to  join  us  at  luncheon  in  the 
marquee,  where  the  Empress  and  the  Queen  of  Greece  await  us." 
After  a  sumptuous  feast  the  General,  with  some  English  offi 
cers,  were  presented  to  the  two  Royal  ladies,  who  were  most 
gracious,  and  asked  many  questions  about  our  extensive  coun 
try.  Altogether  the  day  was  one  to  be  remembered. 

Other  distinguished  persons,  from  whom  General  Butterfield 
received  gratifying  attentions,  were  the  Orleans  Princes,  the 
Comte  de  Paris  and  his  brother,  the  Due  de  Chartres,  and  their 
uncle,  the  Prince  de  Joinville,  with  all  of  whom  the  General 
became  acquainted  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  For  some 
months  before  the  Comte's  visit  to  the  United  States  in  1890, 
many  letters  passed  between  him  and  his  American  friend  con 
cerning  his  brief  American  tour.  Writing  to  Butterfield  in 
September,  he  says : 

"This  is  the  last  letter  which  I  shall  write  you  before  I  land 
on  the  shores  of  your  country.  I  thank  you  very  much  for 
your  letter  of  the  4th,  and  for  your  telegram  of  yesterday.  I 
am  glad  to  see  the  names  of  all  the  old  friends  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  that  I  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting,  and  es 
pecially  at  the  public  dinner  in  New  York,  which  will  be  such 
an  interesting  feature  of  my  visit  to  the  United  States." 

When  he  arrived  in  this  city  in  October  the  Comte  was  fifty- 
two  years  of  age.  Tall  and  strong,  with  a  slight  stoop,  a  frank 
expression  and  firm  mouth,  a  fine  voice  and  a  pleasant  smile. 
His  appearance,  altogether,  more  that  of  a  bourgeois  than  a 
candidate  for  the  crown  of  his  grandfather,  King  Louis 
Philippe.  Wrhile  cordial  and  friendly  with  his  comrades  of 


180  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  other  new  and  old  American 
friends,  he  never  forgot  his  high  birth  and  the  fact  that  he  was 
the  legitimate  heir  to  the  throne  of  his  native  land.  He  first 
came  to  the  United  States  in  September,  1861,  when  he  was 
accompanied  by  his  brother  and  their  uncle,  the  Prince  de 
Joinville.  The  young  Frenchmen,  desirous  of  seeing  some 
thing  of  actual  war,  accepted  positions  as  volunteer  aids  on  the 
Staff  of  General  McClellan,  with  the  rank  of  captain.  The 
brothers  were  known  in  our  army  as  Capt.  Louis  Philippe 
d'Orleans  and  Capt.  Robert  d'Orleans,  serving  without  pay  or 
emolument.  They  were  present  at  the  siege  of  Yorktown,  and 
took  an  active  part  in  the  engagements  around  Richmond,  both 
acquitting  themselves  with  great  gallantry  during  the  severe 
fighting  of  the  Seven  Days'  battles.  After  McClellan's  retreat 
in  July,  1862,  the  Comte  and  his  brother  resigned  their  com 
missions,  owing  to  the  increasing  coolness  between  France  and 
the  United  States,  arising  from  the  interference  of  the  former 
country  in  the  affairs  of  Mexico.  There  was  a  possibility  of 
war,  and  the  young  princes  did  not,  of  course,  desire  to  be 
opposed  to  the  flag  of  their  native  land.  The  French  volun 
teers  greatly  endeared  themselves  to  their  Republican  brother 
officers  by  their  gallant  service  and  always  most  courteous  de 
meanor,  much  regret  being  expressed  by  all  ranks  over  their 
departure  and  that  of  their  affable  uncle,  the  Prince  de  Joinville. 
Returning  to  France  in  May,  1864,  the  Comte  married  his 
cousin,  Marie,  daughter  of  the  Due  de  Montpensier.  Of  their 
six  children  the  eldest  is  Queen  of  Portugal,  while  the  second  is 
the  Due  d'Orleans,  who  accompanied  the  Comte  to  this  country. 

In  a  letter  addressed  to  General  Wilson  in  August,  1890,  the 
Comte  wrote : 

"I  expect  to  be  in  New  York  in  the  first  days  of  October,  as 
I  shall  sail  with  my  son,  the  Due  d'Orleans,  on  September  24th. 
The  chief  object  of  my  journey  to  America  is  to  see  Gettysburg, 
and  other  battlefields  of  the  Civil  War,  and  to  visit  Washington 
and  Niagara  Falls.  I  shall  return  to  England  early  in  Novem 
ber,  so  that  my  sojourn  in  your  country  will  be  limited  to  about 
one  month.  It  will  be  very  pleasant  to  meet  you  again." 


GENEEAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  181 

Among  the  many  public  and  private  entertainments  extended 
to  the  Comte  and  his  party  of  eight  during  their  American  tour, 
which  included  Montreal  and  Quebec,  perhaps  the  most  notable 
was  the  banquet  in  New  York,  by  more  than  one  hundred 
comrades  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  the  breakfast  given 
at  Cragside,  Cold  Spring,  by  General  and  Mrs.  Butterfield. 
The  dinner  occurred  on  Monday,  October  2Oth,  including  Gen 
erals  Sherman  and  Schofield  as  guests  and  nine  corps  com 
manders,  for  whom  the  total  number  of  places  prepared 
were  one  hundred  and  fifteen,  including  the  Comte  and  his 
seven,  and  the  present  Mayor  of  New  York,  who  was  also  a 
guest.  This  remarkable  gathering,  represented  in  the  accom 
panying  illustration  at  the  moment  the  Comte  was  eloquently 
responding  to  the  toast  to  "Our  Comrade,  Captain  Louis 
Philippe  d'Orleans,"  was  suggestive  of  one  of  the  famous 
Waterloo  dinners  at  Apsley  House,  where  the  survivors  of  that 
decisive  battle  were  annually  entertained  by  their  illustrious 
leader,  the  "Iron  Duke."  Admirable  after-dinner  addresses 
were  made  by  Generals  Sherman,  Schofield,  Sickles,  Slocum, 
Keyes,  Howard,  Franklin  and  Butterfield.  The  dining-hall 
was  thus  described  by  the  New  York  "Herald" : 

"The  Comte  de  Paris'  recent  path  of  glory  through  the  battle 
fields  of  Virginia  leads  but — to  the  Plaza  Hotel.  It  was  in  that 
superb  new  hostelry  facing  the  Central  Park  that  old  comrades 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  greeted  S.  A.  R.  last  night  with  a 
welcome  that  was  right  royal  in  spirit,  and  splendid  in  hospi 
tality.  The  great  dining-hall  in  white  and  gold  was  furnished 
with  two  long  tables  gracefully  curved  to  afford  convenient 
space  for  the  company  of  105  warriors,  who  had  combined  as 
hosts  of  the  evening.  Through  the  centre  of  each  table  was 
laid  a  mass  of  American  Beauty  roses,  suggestive  of  fragrant 
earthworks  thrown  up  by  skilful  floral  engineers.  Through 
these  barriers  a  procession  of  sweet  white  flowers  spelled  the 
words,  'Army  of  the  Potomac.'  Lingering  along  at  last  they 
reached  the  head  of  the  table  where  the  Comte  sat,  and  then 
spread  into  an  elaborate  emblem  made  up  of  all  the  badges  of 
the  army  corps  which  entered  into  the  battlefields  of  the  Poto- 


182  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

mac.  Immediately  behind  the  Comte's  seat  was  a  huge  plush 
shield  in  gray,  emblazoned  with  three  yellow  fteurs  de  lys, 
flanked  on  either  side  by  the  Stars  and  Stripes  of  the  United 
States  and  the  tricolor  of  France.  Lander's  orchestra  played 
the  airs  of  the  day  from  a  graceful  music  gallery.  When  the 
company  was  seated,  composed  as  it  was  of  men  who  had  tried 
hard  work  and  done  it  well,  I  thought  it  far  ahead  of  any  public 
dinner  ever  given  in  New  York." 

The  first  toast  of  the  evening,  "The  President  of  the  United 
States,"  was  responded  to  by  General  Sherman,  who  sat  on  the 
left  of  the  chairman,  General  Butterfield,  while  the  Comte  occu 
pied  the  seat  on  his  right.  When  the  cheering  ceased,  Sherman 
said: 

"I  might  claim  to  be  a  member  of  the  Society  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  for  I  was  with  you  in  that  first  dreadful  cam 
paign  of  Bull  Run,  and  was  with  you  again  in  time  to  join 
with  you  in  the  shouts  you  raised  over  your  last  glorious  vic 
tory."  Then  the  old  General  pronounced  a  eulogv  upon  re 
publican  institutions  which,  considering  the  character  of  the 
guest  of  the  evening,  caused  some  feelings  as  to  what  might 
come  next.  But  he  contented  himself  by  saying  that  the  Re 
public  of  the  United  States  represented  the  strongest  form  of 
government  on  earth,  and  that  the  President  of  the  United 
States  was  much  more  firmly  entrenched  than  "emperors  or 
kings,  potentates  or  powers."  Then  he  briefly  reviewed  the 
characters  of  some  of  the  Presidents ;  paid  a  passing  compli 
ment  to  Washington ;  dwelt  lovingly  upon  the  memory  of  "Old 
Hickory,"  "than  whom  no  man  has  left  a  fame  higher  for  manly 
strength  of  character  and  will."  Next  he  paid  a  warm  tribute 
to  Lincoln.  At  its  conclusion,  he  said :  "The  cares  of  office 
are  such  that  I  would  not  endure  them  for  one  hour.  If  by  my 
mere  desire  I  could  become  President  of  the  United  States  for 
twenty-four  hours  I  would  not  do  it.  You  who  have  never 
been  behind  the  curtains  have  no  idea  of  what  your  President 
has  to  endure  every  hour  and  every  day  that  he  is  in  the  White 
House.  That  house  is  full  of  skeletons.  Nothing  could  in 
duce  me  to  dwell  there  as  President  of  the  United  States  for 


GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 


183 


one  day.  I  advise  all  you  ambitious  young  soldiers  to  keep 
away  from  it." 

General  Sherman  then  alluded  to  President  Harrison,  and 
briefly  sketched  his  war  record. 

"If  anything  should  happen  to  him/'  he  said,  in  closing,  "a 
million  of  swords  would  leap  from  their  scabbards  to  defend 
him,  simply  because  he  is  the  President  of  these  United  States. 
Therefore  I  say  our  Presidents  are  the  strongest  executive 
powers  on  the  face  of  the  globe — stronger  than  if  they  were 
armed  with  the  authority  of  emperors  or  kings  or  any  poten 
tate  whatsoever.  Fill  up  your  glasses  and  drink  to  the  health 
of  our  President,  General  Harrison." 

In  proposing  the  toast  to  the  Comte  de  Paris,  General  Butter- 
field,  chairman  of  the  hundred  hosts,*  said : 

"The  duty  of  presenting  the  next  regular  toast  may  not  be, 
with  strict  propriety,  devolved  upon  others,  since  the  delegated 
and  chosen  representative  of  the  committee  must  present  it, 


*The  five-score  and  four  officers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  who  gave 
the  dinner  were: 


Anderson,  Finley,  Lt.  Col. 
Averill,  W.  W.,  B.M.G. 
Auchmuty,  R.  T.,  Bt.  Col. 
Asch,  M.  J.,  Brevet  Major. 
Barlow,  Francis  C.,  M.G. 
Barnum,  Henry  A.,  M.G. 
Baird,  Absalom,  B.M.G. 
Benkard,  James,  Capt. 
Best,  Charles  L.,  Col. 
Butterfield,  Daniel,  M.G. 
Carr,  Joseph  B.,  B.M.G. 
Cochrane,  John,  B.G. 
Coster,  J.  H.,  Capt. 
Collie,  C.  H.  T.,  B.M.G. 
Candler,  W.  L.,  Bt.  Col. 
Cannon,  L.  G.  B.,  Col. 
Church,  W.  C.,  B.  Lt.  Col. 
Clarkson,  Floyd,  Col. 
Clarke,  A.  J.,  Col. 
Doubleday,  A.,  M.G. 
Eckert,  Thos.  T.,  B.B.G. 
Erhardt,  Joel  B.,  Col. 
Ehlers,  E.  M.  L.,  Bt.  Col. 
Franklin,  W.  B.,  M.G. 
Fitzgerald,  Louis,  B.G. 
Fairchild,  Lucius,  B.G. 
Floyd-Jones,  Delancey,  Col. 
Greene,  Geo.  S.,  B.M.G. 
Gibbs,  Theodore  K.,  Col. 


Grubb,  E.  B.,  B.B.G. 
Gardiner,  A.  B.,  Col. 
Grant,  Gideon,  Maj. 
Greene,  F.  V.,  Capt. 
Hammond,  W.  A.,  B.G. 
Howard,  O.  O.,  M.G. 
Harrison,  W.  H.,  B.B.G. 
Hayes,  Joseph,   B.G. 
Higginson,  T.  W.,  Col. 
Heckscher,  J.  G.,  Lt. 
Irwin,  R.   B.,  Lt.  Col. 
Jay,  William,  Col. 
Keyes,  E.  D.,  M.G. 
King,  H.  C.,  Bt.  Col. 
Kingsbury,  H.  P.,  Capt. 
Kip,  Lawrence,  Col. 
Kirkland,  Joseph,   Maj. 
Keyser,  P.  D.,  Maj. 
Kelly,  F.,  Bt.  Capt. 
Locke,  F.  T.,  B.B.G. 
Langdon,  Louis  L.,  Lt.  Col. 
McMahon,  M.  T.,  B.M.G. 
Martin,    A.    P.,   B.B.G. 
McKeever,  C.,  B.B.G. 
Milhau,   J.   J.,   B.B.G. 
McClellan,  Arthur,  Col. 
Mali,  H.  W.  T.,  Maj. 
Mason,  W.  P.,  Capt. 
Newton,  John,  M.G. 


184 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 


even  in  the  presence  of  many  who,  combining  rank  and  elo 
quence,  might  more  gracefully  do  it.  Fortunately  for  us,  there 
is  need  of  neither  eloquence  nor  poetry.  The  sentiment  is  so 
strong  with  all  of  us  here  assembled,  there  need  be  stated 
only  a  few  simple  facts. 

"When  the  war  of  the  rebellion  broke  out  there  was  offered 
to  our  Government  the  services  of  Capt.  Louis  Philippe  d'Or- 
leans,  Comte  de  Paris,  and  Capt.  Robert  d'Orleans,  Due  de  Char- 
tres,  his  brother,  in  any  capacity  they  might  be  useful  to  aid 
us — and  this  without  pay  or  emolument.  They  were  appointed 
to  the  rank  of  captain  and  assigned  to  duty  as  aides  to  the  gen 
eral  commanding  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

"In  the  discharge  of  that  duty,  there  was  no  battlefield  or 
service  of  the  campaign,  in  which  they  participated,  where  they 
were  not  known  for  promptness  and  efficiency  in  the  perform 
ance  of  all  details  of  each  duty. 

"Accompanied  by  the  Prince  de  Joinville,  their  uncle,  who, 
though  receiving  no  official  commission  like  these  gentlemen, 
was  always  at  hand  to  aid  in  every  way,  and  when  the  battle 
came  thickest  and  the  fire  raged  hot  they  were  all  at  the  front 
in  a  spirit  of  sympathy  combined  with  courage  and  devotion  to 
our  service  which  won  the  admiration  and  gratitude  of  all 
their  comrades  in  arms. 


Nicholson,  J.  P.,  B.B.G. 
Norton,  Charles  B.,  B.B.G. 
O'Beirne,  J.  R.,  B.B.G. 
Oliver,  Paul  A.,  B.B.G. 
Oakley,  Thos.  B.,  Col. 
Parke,  John  G.,  M.G. 
Porter,  Fitz-John,  M.G. 
Page,  J.  P.,  Capt. 
Porter,  Josiah,  M.G. 
Palmer,  I.  N.,  B.M.G. 
Plume,  J.  W.,  B.M.G. 
Pratt,  C.  E.,  B.M.G. 
Pinto,  Francis  E.,  B.B.G. 
Pierson,  T.  F.,  B.B.G. 
Pennington,  A.  C.  M.,  Col. 
Powell,  B.,  Lt.  Col. 
Rodenbough,  T.  F.,  B.B.G. 
Rawle,  W.  B.,  Col. 
Ripley,  Edward  H.,  B.B.G. 
Robbins,  S.  H.,  Lt. 
Sickles,  D.  E.,  M.G. 
Sweitzer,  N.  B.,  B.B.G. 
Slocum,  H.  W.,  M.G. 


Shaler,  Alexander,  B.M.G. 
Sewell,  W.  J.,  B.M.G. 
Stryker,  W.  S.,  B.M.G. 
Sharpe,  G.  H.,  B.M.G. 
Swayne,  Wager,  B.M.G. 
Stahl,  Julius,  E.G. 
Townsend,  E.  D.,  B.M.G. 
Tremain,  H.  E.,  B.B.G. 
Tremaine,  H.  E.,  B.B.G. 
Tompson,  W.  H.,  B.M. 
Tompkins,   C.    H.,   B.B.G. 
Tyler,  M.  W.,  Bt.  Col. 
Upham,  J.  J.,  Col. 
Viele,  Egbert  L.,  E.G. 
Whipple,  W.  D.,  B.M.G. 
Webb,  Alexander  S.,  B.M.G. 
Walker,  Francis  A.,  B.B.G. 
Wilson,  Jas.  Grant,  B.B.G. 
Weber,  J.  B.,  B.B.G. 
Weeks,  Henry  A.,  Col. 
Wright,  Edward  H.,  Col. 
Wadsworth,  J.  W.,  Capt. 
Weld,  S.  M.,  Lt.  Col. 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEBFIELD  185 

"Our  Guest,  whose  coolness  under  fire,  devotion  to  duty,  in 
trepidity  and  courage  carried  with  it  such  noble  and  manly 
qualities  as  to  win  our  hearts  as  well,  and  when  the  time  had 
arrived,  as  many  of  us  who  enjoyed  the  closer  relations  of 
personal  friendship  had  known  long  in  advance  that  he  should 
leave  us,  it  was  a  matter  of  deep  regret  that  other  duties  called 
him  from  us.  But  he  had  not  forgotten  us.  No  countryman 
of  our  own  has  given  such  thought  and  careful  study,  such 
earnest,  patient  work,  such  impartiality  and  fairness  in  that 
work,  as  has  our  guest  on  his  history  of  our  war,  which  we 
acknowledge  stands  at  the  head  of  all  efforts  or  work  in  that 
direction. 

"These  duties  so  gallantly  and  well  performed,  his  manly  and 
noble  character,  his  simple  ways  and  thorough  devotion  to  all 
requirements  of  duty,  the  only  purpose  of  true  manhood,  have 
brought  us  here  together  to-night  in  recognition  and  tribute 
thereto.  In  so  doing  we  add  another  link  to  the  chain  of 
friendly  feeling — and  another  page  to  the  gratifying  record  of 
history  of  the  friendship  between  France  and  America,  and  the 
records  of  the  Sons  of  France  who  have  served  and  aided  our 
flag  and  our  country. 

"Comrades,  rise  and  drink  to  the  true  man,  the  thorough  sol 
dier — the  faithful  historian,  our  comrade  and  friend — Capt. 
Louis  Philippe  d'Orleans,  Our  Guest!" 

Addressing  his  hearers  as  "My  dear  friends  and  fellow  com 
rades,"  the  Comte,  in  returning  thanks  for  the  health  which 
was  so  cordially  drunk,  and  for  the  complimentary  words  with 
which  it  was  coupled,  expressed  humble  gratitude  toward  God 
Almighty  for  having  allowed,  after  a  lapse  of  twenty-eight 
years,  so  many  of  his  late  companions  in  arms  to  meet.  He 
continued : 

"Although  successive  winters  have  snowed  upon  our  heads, 
a  mere  glance  brings  back,  with  all  its  associations,  the  long- 
forgotten  remembrance  of  our  youthful  career.  But  for  that 
cheering  feature  I  might  compare  myself  on  my  return  to  your 
shores  to  old  Rip  Van  Winkle  when  he  descended  from  the 


186  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

mountains  after  his  twenty  years'  sleep.  Indeed,  these  shores 
witnessed  less  changes  during  the  twenty  years  he  is  reported 
to  have  slept  than  during  the  quarter  of  a  century  which  has 
only  given  a  whitish  tinge  to  our  beards. 

"Alas !  on  the  other  hand,  how  many  whose  memory  is  vivid 
among  us,  but  who  fail  now  to  answer  the  call  of  the  muster  roll. 
Although  I  cannot  name  all  those  personally  known  to  me  who 
have  departed  from  this  world  and  are  now,  let  us  hope,  rest 
ing  in  the  abodes  of  eternal  justice  and  eternal  peace,  let  me 
open  our  present  joyful  meeting  by  a  due  tribute  paid  to  the 
memory  of  the  most  eminent  men  among  these  warriors.  First 
of  all,  to  my  illustrious  chief,  the  creator  of  that  great  historical 
body,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac ;  to  the  noblest  type  of  the  sol 
dier  and  of  the  man  of  honor,  respected  alike  by  friend  and 
foe;  to  George  B.  McClellan.  Then,  beginning  by  the  veteran 
to  end  by  the  boy  general,  let  me  name  old  Sumner,  the  bull 
of  the  woods ;  McDowell,  Burnside,  Hooker,  Meade,  Sheridan, 
Reynolds,  Hancock,  Sedgwick,  Warren,  Humphreys,  Mott, 
Heintzelman,  Birney,  French,  Sykes,  Griffen,  Buford,  Wads- 
worth,  Hays,  Steinwehr,  Williams,  Reno,  Richardson,  Hunt, 
Kearny,  Barry,  Marcy  and  the  young  Custer,  who  met  on  the 
field  of  battle  with  a  death  to  which  no  general  can  now  aspire, 
for  where  are  the  wild  and  valiant  Indian  warriors  who  sur 
rounded  him  at  the  foot  of  the  Black  Hills? 

"And  last,  but  not  least,  let  me  name  the  great  chieftain, 
Ulysses  S.  Grant,  who,  although  he  did  not  properly  belong  to 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  will  always  be  remembered  as  its 
leader  in  its  last  and  desperate  grasp,  with  the  not  less  noble 
army  of  Northern  Virginia.  His  lucky  star  gave  him  the 
command  at  the  right  time  to  achieve  the  final  success.  With 
the  names  of  the  departed  soldiers  I  must  couple  that  of  the 
most  illustrious  victim  of  the  war,  a  name  which  will  always 
be  pronounced  with  reverence  by  the  historians  of  this  critical 
period,  the  honest  and  patriotic  President  who  died  for  his 
country  the  death  of  a  martyr.  Allow  me  to  pay  a  personal 
tribute  to  the  memory  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  whose  kindness  I 
shall  alwavs  remember,  when,  in  the  first  year  of  the  war,  com- 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  187 

ing  to  discuss  with  McClellan  the  future  operations  of  the 
armies,  he  never  entered  our  headquarters  without  having  a 
few  friendly  words  with  the  young  aides-de-camp  who  were  at 
work  under  the  direction  of  good  old  General  Marcy. 

"If  I  cannot  name  all  those  who  are  no  more,  still  less  can 
I  express,  as  I  would  like  to  do,  my  individual  sympathy  to 
each  of  you  gentlemen  who  have  so  kindly  assembled  to-night  to 
welcome  an  old  friend  of  your  country.  Nor  could  I  name 
all  the  valiant  soldiers  whom  I  met  in  former  days  in  camp  or 
in  battle,  and  whose  hands  I  hope  to  shake  again  before  I  leave 
this  country.  But  such  feelings  will  find  their  highest  expres 
sion  in  the  grateful  thanks  which  I  offer  to  my  friend,  General 
Butterfield,  and  the  gentlemen  on  the  committee  who  organized 
this  sociable  meeting. 

"Not  less  grateful  am  I  to  the  two  guests  who  have  con 
sented  to  sit  among  us — to  the  gallant  Commander-in-Chief  of 
the  United  States  Army,  so  worthy  of  the  high  post  which  he 
occupies,  and  to  his  illustrious  predecessor,  whose  presence  is 
an  honor  to  us  all.  Sometimes  great  wars  have  been  waged 
without  producing  great  generals.  It  is  not  the  case  of  your 
Civil  War.  It  has  opened  the  shrine  of  history  to  the  names  of 
men  such  as  Grant,  Lee  and  J.  E.  Johnston,  who  possessed  most 
of  the  highest  qualities  required  to  play  successfully  that  bloody 
game.  But  when  the  conditions  of  war  are  exceptional  there 
happens  sometimes  to  be  a  man  who,  by  his  military  genius 
and  achievement,  becomes  the  highest  representative  of  the 
whole  generation  of  officers  trained  at  that  new  school.  In  the 
present  case,  where  indeed  everything  was  exceptional,  the  sud 
den  growth  and  number  of  the  armies,  the  enormous  extent 
of  the  field  of  operations,  the  peculiarities  of  a  country  thinly 
populated  and  newly  civilized,  the  man  has  been  found;  it  is 
General  Sherman ! 

"Surrounded  as  I  am  this  evening  I  cannot  realize  that  twenty- 
eight  years  have  elapsed  since  I  first  set  my  foot  on  this  con 
tinent.  I  came  then  bringing  to  you  my  youth,  my  love  of 
adventure  and  a  then  still  virgin  sword.  It  was  in  the  hour  of 
your  greatest  trouble,  when  it  required  perhaps  some  civic 


188  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

courage  to  assert  in  the  face  of  European  prejudices  a  strong 
faith  in  the  final  triumph  of  your  national  constitution.  I  re 
ceived  the  best  reward  I  could  wish  in  the  numerous  tokens  of 
true  sympathy  which  have  created  a  strong  bond  of  friendship 
between  the  American  people  and  my  family.  And  let  me  re 
mind  you  that  the  origin  of  this  sympathy  can  be  traced  to 
more  ancient  events ;  to  the  very  birth  of  the  nation  itself.  The 
name  of  Bourbon,  recurring  so  often  in  American  geography, 
shows  the  popularity  which  the  House  of  France  owes  to  the 
help  given  by  my  country  to  the  emancipated  colonies  under 
the  reign  of  Louis  XVI. 

"The  generation  which  has  preceded  us  had  not  forgotten 
how  my  grandfather,  King  Louis  Philippe,  after  having  been 
the  guest  of  Washington  at  Mount  Vernon,  was  wont  to  wel 
come  ail  the  Americans  who  visited  France  under  his  reign. 

"Whatever  sympathy  I  may  have  deserved  for  enlisting  un 
der  the  Stars  and  Stripes  in  the  first  period  of  the  war  ought  to 
be  shared  with  my  uncle,  the  Prince  de  Joinville,  the  friend  of 
Lincoln,  McClellan  and  Seward ;  by  my  brother,  the  Due  de 
Chartres,  the  popular  Robert  le  Tort,  of  the  dark  days  of  1870, 
and  by  my  cousin,  the  Due  de  Penthievre,  who,  too  young  to 
take  a  part  in  the  war,  entered  at  that  very  time  your  naval 
school,  and,  later  on,  made  among  you  his  apprenticeship  as  a 
sailor.  All  three  being,  thank  God,  still  full  of  life  and  activity, 
ought  to  be  here  with  us.  Family  duties  have  detained  them  in 
Europe,  but  they  send  you,  through  me,  their  most  hearty  good 
wishes." 

After  a  reference  to  his  recent  visit  to  the  battlefields  in  the 
South,  the  Comte  spoke  with  great  respect  of  the  devotion  of 
the  South  to  the  cause  for  which  it  had  contended  and  of  the 
bravery  with  which  it  was  defended  to  the  last.  Then  he  spoke 
of  the  reconciliation  that  followed  the  war,  and  continued : 

"Since  then  you  have  enjoyed  the  blessings  of  restored  peace 
and  union.  No  more  striking  proof  could  I  find  of  this  happy 
state  of  things  than  the  way  in  which  I  was  received  in  Rich 
mond  by  the  Confederate  officers  whom  I  met  in  friendly  in 
tercourse,  and  with  some  of  whom  I  had  the  pleasure  of  dis- 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  189 

cussing,  on  the  very  fields  of  battle,  some  of  the  most  important 
historical  problems  of  the  war  in  which  we  had  fought  against 
each  other.  This  great  reconciliation  has  been  effected  by  your 
Republic,  because  it  is  truly  a  national  and  therefore  a  strong 
government.  And  although  I  do  not  intend,  as  you  know,  to 
tread  upon  political  ground,  I  cannot  help  remembering  that 
three  hundred  years  ago  my  own  country,  after  passing  through 
the  ordeal  of  a  civil  war  as  bloody,  as  dangerous  for  its  very 
existence  as  the  War  of  Secession  for  the  United  States,  saw 
its  wounds  healed  by  the  gentle  hand  and  the  wise  policy  of  a 
Power  which  was  strong  enough  to  rally  all  the  French  people 
around  its  standard,  because  it  was  also  a  truly  national  govern 
ment.  It  was  the  monarchy  of  King  Henry  IV,  and  as  the 
republican  institutions  are  in  this  country,  so  monarchy  in 
France  is  and  remains,  notwithstanding  a  century  of  revolu 
tions,  the  traditional  and  national  form  of  government. 

"My  American  friends,  who,  whatever  may  be  the  party  to 
which  they  belong,  are  good  republicans  in  the  most  compre 
hensive  meaning  of  the  word,  must  therefore  understand  that 
the  unanimous  feelings  of  love  and  devotion  for  their  old  con 
stitution,  which  are  the  strength  and  honor  of  their  fatherland, 
cannot  exist  in  France,  where  the  republic  is  a  new  government, 
and  that  a  numerous  body  of  Frenchmen,  faithful  to  the  tradi 
tions  of  a  glorious  past,  should  consider  it  a  patriotic  duty  to 
prepare,  by  all  the  legal  means  at  their  disposal,  the  restora 
tion  of  the  government  which  their  fathers  have  served." 

The  Comte  did  not  follow  this  allusion  to  French  politics 
further,  but  expressed  his  admiration  of  the  marvelous  growth 
of  this  country,  and  said  of  the  spirit  of  American  institutions 
that  it  is  marked  by  that  freedom  of  association  which  brings 
together  the  individual  forces,  too  often  scattered  in  a  demo 
cratic  society,  and  preserves  tradition  on  its  movable  soil.  "It  is 
by  the  practice  of  this  liberty  that  you  will  successfully  treat 
the  great  problem  of  the  relations  between  capital  and  labor. 
The  difficulties  of  this  problem,  although  different,  are  great 
on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  and  the  experience  of  one  nation 
may  be  useful  to  the  other.  You  have  a  strong  faith  in  the 


190  GEXEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTEBF1ELD 

future  of  your  country ;  you  are  right,  for  faith  in  the  future  is 
a  great  element  of  success.  I  remember  that  in  the  worst  days 
of  the  Civil  War  my  American  friends  used  to  quote  the  old 
proverb,  'There  is  a  special  providence  for  children,  drunkards 
and  the  United  States.'  Well,  gentlemen,  this  jest  is  true  only 
because  the  favors  of  Providence  are  justly  bestowed  on  the 
countries  where  the  name  of  God  is  respected,  where  the  prin 
ciples  of  Christianity  are  considered  as  the  essential  basis  of  all 
human  institutions,  where  faith  in  the  mercy  of  the  Divine 
Judge  is  looked  upon  as  absolutely  necessary  to  reconcile  every 
one  with  the  unavoidable  consequences  of  social  inequality. 
Such  is  the  case  of  the  United  States.  These  views  have  been 
transmitted  among  you  from  one  generation  to  another;  they 
are  the  corner-stone  of  your  education.  And  were  they  not 
prompted  by  the  highest  Christian  feelings,  all  those  young 
men  who  came  willingly  to  fight  and  to  die  for  what,  on  both 
sides,  they  considered  as  a  just  cause? 

"Allow  me,  therefore,  gentlemen,  to  ask  you  to  join  me  in 
paying  a  common  tribute  of  respect  and  sympathy  to  the  mem 
ory  of  all  the  officers  and  soldiers,  both  of  the  Federal  and  of 
the  Confederate  armies,  who  were  the  victims  of  the  great  civil 
struggle.  Let  us  also  celebrate  the  glorious  reconciliation 
which  brought  together  the  survivors  to  serve  with  the  same 
devotion  their  reunited  fatherland.  No  one  rejoices  more  in 
this  happy  conclusion  than  the  Frenchman  who  stood  by  you  in 
the  hour  of  trial,  and  who  is  at  the  same  time  head  of  the  old 
royal  family  which  helped  the  first  footsteps  of  your  young 
Republic.  I  conclude,  therefore,  in  proposing  you  to  drink  to 
the  greatness,  the  prosperity  and  the  everlasting  friendship  of 
France  and  of  the  United  States!" 

In  presenting  to  the  guest  of  honor  a  diamond  badge  of  the 
Society  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  General  Slocum  said : 

"M.  le  Comte  de  Paris :  When  it  became  known  that  you 
were  to  visit  our  country,  the  officers  who  served  with  you  in 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  determined  to  testify  their  high  re 
gard  for  you  and  their  appreciation  of  your  services  in  the 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTEKFIELD  191 

field,  and  your  still  greater  services  as  an  able  and  disinterested 
historian.  All  your  former  comrades  would  gladly  have  ac 
companied  you  over  the  battlefields  that  you  have  visited.  All 
are  happy  to  greet  you  here  to-night.  We,  who  are  present, 
have  had  prepared  an  emblem,  and  I  have  been  honored  in 
being  chosen  to  present  it  to  you.  It  is  the  badge  of  the  So 
ciety  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

"The  use  of  badges  to  designate  the  various  corps  of  our 
army  was  adopted  after  you  had  left  the  service.  We  owe  the 
adoption  of  their  use  to  the  suggestion  of  our  Chairman,  Gen 
eral  Daniel  Butterfield.  He  made  the  suggestion  in  the  early 
days  of  the  war,  but  it  was  not  adopted  till  he  became  Chief- 
of-Staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  His  position  then  en 
abled  him  to  carry  his  plan  into  effect.  Its  value  in  promoting 
an  esprit  du  corps,  and  in  aiding  in  the  discipline  of  the  army, 
soon  became  apparent.  In  a  few  months  every  corps  in  all  our 
armies  had  its  badge. 

''Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war  the  officers  of  our  various 
armies  formed  societies.  All  these  societies  have  held  annual 
meetings,  which  have  been  well  attended,  and  have  preserved 
and  strengthened  the  fraternal  bonds  formed  during  the  war. 
The  Society  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  now  numbers  over 
three  thousand  members.  The  emblem  of  this  society  is  a 
badge  composed  of  a  union  of  all  our  corps'  badges.  The  one 
I  have  the  honor  of  presenting  to  you  is,  in  every  respect,  like 
that  worn  by  all  our  members,  except  that  this  is  adorned  with 
diamonds,  which  we  regard  as  typical  of  the  purity  of  your 
character  and  of  your  motives  in  seeking  service  in  the  Union 
Army. 

"I  rejoice  that  you  have  been  permitted  to  return  and  witness 
the  fruition  of  your  labors  in  a  re-united,  happy  and  prosperous 
country.  Many  officers  in  this  room  have  received  orders  on 
the  field,  borne  to  them  by  you  in  the  heat  of  battle.  They  have 
witnessed  your  gallantry  in  action  and  your  readiness  to  share 
with  them  all  the  hardships  of  camp  life.  Although  you  sub 
jected  yourself  to  all  the  dangers  and  hardships  common  to  us, 
in  one  respect  you  were  more  fortunate  than  most  of  us.  You 


192  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

created  no  jealousies  and  you  were  never  the  subject  of  criti 
cism.  When  you  left  our  shores  you  carried  with  you  the 
hearts  of  all  your  former  comrades.  We  ask  you  to  accept 
this  emblem  as  a  slight  token  of  our  high  esteem  for  you  as  a 
soldier,  and  in  recognition  of  what  is  due  you  for  your  great 
work  as  the  author  of  what  we  regard  as  the  best  and  the  most 
truthful  history  of  our  great  Civil  War." 

The  badge  which  General  Butterfield  called  on  General  Slo- 
cum  to  present  was  made  of  gold  and  set  with  diamonds,  the 
diamonds  being  the  only  exception  to  the  regular  Army  of  the 
Potomac  badge.  The  inscription  on  the  reverse  of  the  badge 
was,  "Presented  to  Capt.  Louis  Philippe  d'Orleans,  U.  S.  Vol 
unteers,  from  his  comrades  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac." 
After  the  entertainment  each  of  the  Comte's  five-score  and  four 
hosts  received  a  circular  letter,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 
"CRAGSIDE,"  COLD  SPRING-ON-HUDSON,  N.  Y., 

October  25,  1890. 

MY  DEAR  SIR — It  gives  me  pleasure  to  send  you  herewith 
copy  of  a  letter  this  day  received.  I  have  been  requested  by  the 
Comte  de  Paris  to  send  you  his  photograph  with  his  autograph 
attached.  As  soon  as  these  are  completed  you  will  be  advised 
thereof.  I  am,  very  respectfully  yours, 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 

NIAGARA,  Oct.  22,  1890. 
MY  DEAR  GENERAL  BUTTERFIELD: 

My  first  thought,  after  leaving  New  York,  is  to  express  to 
you  and  to  ask  you  to  convey  to  my  friends  on  the  committee 
my  sincere  thanks  for  the  cordial  and  splendid  reception  which 
you  have  given  me. 

My  visit  to  the  field  of  battle  at  Gettysburg  with  all  the 
prominent  survivors  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  has  been 
unique  in  its  kind.  The  arrangements  for  my  military  tour  and 
for  my  interesting  excursion  to  Cornwall  and  Lebanon  were 
perfect. 

The  banquet  of  Monday  night  gave  me  the  long-wished-for 
opportunity  to  give  a  cordial  greeting  to  most  of  my  former 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  193 

companions  in  arms.  I  was  deeply  moved  by  their  sympathy. 
Pray  convey  once  more  to  them  my  most  hearty  thanks,  and 
believe  me,  Yours  truly, 

PHILIPPE  COMTE  DE  PARIS. 

In  addition  to  a  photograph,  elegantly  framed,  one  portrait 
had  a  flattering  inscription  in  the  Comte's  handwriting :  "Pre 
sented  to  General  Daniel  Butterfield,  late  Chief  of  Staff  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  Chairman  of  the  Public  Dinner  given 
to  me  to-night  by  my  fellow  comrades,  as  a  testimony  for  his 
untiring  zeal  and  attention,  October  20,  1890. — PHILIPPE 
COMTE  DE  PARIS. 

The  Comte  de  Paris  having  accepted  an  invitation  of  General 
and  Mrs.  Butterfield  to  visit  "Cragside,"  with  his  suite,  the 
General  conveyed  the  party  in  his  own  steamer  up  the  Hudson 
to  Cold  Spring,  where  the  hospitable  mansion  was  en  fete  to 
receive  the  distinguished  visitors.  Everything  that  grace, 
art  and  nature  could  accomplish  was  there.  The  whole  house 
was  decorated  with  La  France  roses ;  many  hundreds  were 
brought  from  New  York.  The  day  was  one  of  those  heaven 
sent,  which  our  early  fall  brings  us,  with  cloudless  skies,  the 
air  soft  and  balmy.  On  the  arrival  of  the  party,  who  were  re 
ceived  by  General  and  Mrs.  Butterfield  and  the  West  Point 
officers,  breakfast  followed  soon  after.  The  table  was  set  in 
a  large  octagon  room,  and,  strange  to  say,  the  wall  decorations 
were  the  fleur  de  lis,  the  insignia  of  the  Orleans  House.  The 
breakfast  table  was  in  the  form  of  a  huge  fleur  de  lis,  and  the 
cloth  of  white  satin  with  fleur  de  lis  embroidered  in  silver,  and 
the  table  decorations  were  La  France  roses  profusely  arranged. 
The  Comte  and  his  suite  were  most  profuse  in  their  expressions 
of  admiration.  As  he  looked  around  the  room  on  entering,  he 
remarked  to  his  hostess,  "I  see  you  have  my  roses  and  my 
fleur  de  lis."  The  breakfast  was  a  very  delightful  one,  and 
speeches  were  made  and  healths  of  the  visitors  drunk.  One  in 
cident  was  very  significant.  The  General  had  brought  from  his 
wine  cellar  some  very  delicious  La  Rose  claret,  which  the  Comte 
was  very  quick  to  recognize,  and  inquired  about.  He  said :  "I 


194  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

have  drank,  since  my  arrival,  some  California  claret,  the  Zin- 
fandel,  and  prefer  it  to  all  other  red  wines,  and  have  ordered 
some  to  be  sent  to  Stowe  House"  (the  Comte's  residence  in 
England).  After  breakfast  the  Comte  and  his  hostess  led 
the  way  to  the  north  drawing-room,  and  there  were  assembled 
the  neighborhood  from  many  miles  around  Cold  Spring.  After 
a  collation  the  steamer  conveyed  the  entire  party  to  West  Point, 
where  they  witnessed  an  afternoon  parade  and  drill.  All  ex 
pressed  themselves  amazed  at  the  beautiful  sight  and  efficient 
evolutions,  and  after  a  hearty  adieu,  the  visitors  were  conveyed 
back  to  New  York  on  the  steamer,  expressing  themselves  with 
great  enthusiasm  about  the  scenery  of  the  Highlands  and  the 
entrancing  autumn  sail  on  the  Hudson. 

Another  distinguished  visitor  to  "Cragside"  was  an  East  In 
dian  Prince.  Captain  Bridwales,  of  the  British  Army,  was  de 
tailed,  by  order  of  the  late  Queen,  to  escort  the  Prince,  Tharah 
Sahib,  of  Simbdi,  India,  who  was  making  a  tour  of  the  world. 
The  General  appointed  a  day  for  the  distinguished  visitor  to 
visit  West  Point,  sending  his  steamer  to  convey  the  party  to 
"Cragside,"  and  many  of  the  summer  residents  of  the  neighbor 
hood,  with  officers  and  professors  from  the  military  academy, 
were  invited.  The  day  being  perfect,  made  a  brilliant  back 
ground  for  the  occasion.  The  Prince,  who  spoke  excellent  Eng 
lish,  was  in  his  native  costume,  wearing  many  magnificent  jew 
els.  His  long  outer  garment  of  blue  satin  and  superb  turban 
made  a  very  unique  and  Oriental  costume.  He  was  very  merry 
and  exceedingly  curious,  asking  the  hostess  many  questions. 
He  spoke  while  at  dinner  of  his  religion,  and  was  most  eloquent 
in  describing  the  adaptation  of  the  different  religious  beliefs 
to  the  climatic  surroundings  of  the  people  that  embraced  it. 
"For  instance"  (he  said),  "my  country  is  a  very  hot  one,  and 
our  religion  obliges  us  to  bathe  three  times  daily;  and  for  the 
same  reason  we  are  forbidden  to  eat  beef  in  any  form  because 
it  is  too  heating,  and  our  religion  takes  care  of  our  bodies  as 
well  as  our  souls."  On  entering  the  house  he  was  followed  by 
a  tall,  straight,  turbaned  servant,  carrying  on  his  back  a  large 
bundle,  which  excited  the  cnriositv  of  all ;  but  it  was  afterward 


GENERAL   DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  195 

explained  to  us  that  it  was  a  bath-tub,  as  they  bathe  so  fre 
quently,  and  are  not  to  bathe  in  Christian  tubs.  After  the  re 
ception  all  were  taken  to  West  Point  to  see  the  manoeuvres  and 
afternoon  parade.  The  Prince  was  delighted  with  all  he  saw, 
and  expressed  himself  as  most  gratified  with  the  excursion. 

A  third  "Cragside"  entertainment  was  given  several  years 
later  to  the  Grand  Duke  Michailovitch,  a  cousin  of  the  Czar 
of  Russia,  the  Admiral  Kusnakoff,  and  a  score  of  other  Rus 
sian  officers,  who  were  taken  to  Cold  Spring,  with  many  other 
guests,  including  Admiral  Gherardi  and  General  Howard,  in 
the  steamer  "Aurora."  A  large  marquee,  specially  made  for 
the  occasion,  of  Russian  colors,  profusely  decorated  with  flow 
ers,  flags  and  trophies.  In  this  were  round  tables,  each  with 
a  beautiful  basket  of  roses,  at  which  two  hundred  guests  sat 
down  to  a  bountiful  breakfast.  The  Russian  band  from  the 
flagship  played  alternately  with  a  New  York  band.  When  ap 
petites  had  been  appeased,  General  Butterfield  rose  and  gave 
as  an  informal  toast,  "Russia — America."  All  rose  and  drank 
to  it,  when  the  Russian  Rear-Admiral  rose,  and  said:  "Let 
us  drink  to  the  health  of  our  kind  host  and  hostess,"  which 
was  done,  all  again  rising,  music  following.  Again  rising  as 
toastmaster,  General  Butterfield  said :  "We  are  honored  by 
having  with  us  as  a  guest  one,  through  whose  veins  flows  the 
blood  of  a  great  uncle  who  was  a  great  friend  to  America  in  the 
time  of  need — I  refer  to  the  Grand  Duke,  and  I  drink  his 
health.  The  people  rose  en  masse,  and  the  Grand  Duke  bowed. 

Again  General  Butterfield  said :  "'We  have  with  us  a  lady 
who  is  the  widow  of  an  illustrious  chief  of  the  army  of  the 
United  States,  whose  name  is  a  part  of  the  history  of  this  coun 
try,  and  in  presenting  the  toast  I  know  you  will  permit  me 
to  drink  alone  to  the  health  of  Mrs.  General  Grant."  All  rose 
and  silence  was  maintained. 

At  the  close,  General  Butterfield,  in  alluding  to  the  presence 
of  the  Russians,  said : 

"It  is  a  piece  of  history  that  when  England  and  France  had 
combined  with  their  fleets,  intending  to  give  aid  to  the  South 
ern  Confederacv,  thev  sent  to  Alexander  II,  of  Russia,  father 


19G  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 

of  the  present  Emperor,  to  ask  Russia  to  join  them.  The 
Emperor,  well  knowing  their  mission,  said  to  the  commission : 
'You  may  say  to  your  masters,  who  sent  you,  that  the  Ameri 
can  people  have  always  been  our  friends,  and  when  England 
and  France  interfere  our  army  and  our  navy  are  at  America's 
disposal.'  r 

Admiral  Kaznakoff  was  a  personal  friend,  whom  the  General 
had  met  in  St.  Petersburg  and  elsewhere.  The  Emperor  and 
Empress,  the  uncle  and  aunt  of  the  Grand  Duke,  had  shown 
great  kindness  and  hospitality  to  General  and  Mrs.  Butterfield 
in  Russia,  and  Russia  had  been  the  firm  friend  of  America  for 
half  a  century.  The  General  felt  a  double  inspiration  of  grati 
tude,  of  a  patriotic  and  personal  character,  as  well  as  an  earnest 
desire  to  make  our  hospitality  representative  of  the  friendly 
sentiments  of  our  best  citizens.  After  adieus  were  said,  about 
four  o'clock,  the  Russian  and  other  guests  again  boarded  the 
"Aurora,"  and  were  taken  to  West  Point.  On  their  arrival  at 
the  Post  they  were  honored  with  a  salute,  tendered  a  reception 
at  the  residence  of  the  Superintendent,  Colonel  Ernst,  and  were 
given  a  drive  about  the  grounds,  after  which  there  was  a  special 
review  of  the  cadets  for  the  occasion. 


GENEKAL   DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD  197 


CHAPTER   VII. 

The  Centennial  Parade— The  Butterfield  Lectures— Gettysburg  Cele 
bration — Action  in  Spanish  War — Raised  Regiments — Distributes 
Flags — Presents  Sword  to  Admiral  Philip — President  Military 
Convention — Fifth  Corps  Monument — Presentation  of  Butterfield 
Tablet — Illness — Death — Funeral — Tributes  to  His  Memory. 

GENERAL  BUTTERFIELD  was  Grand  Marshal  of  the  Civic 
Parade  at  the  Centennial  Celebration  in  New  York,  in  May, 
1889,  when  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  men  passed  the  re 
viewing  stand  with  unprecedented  rapidity.  Never  before,  or 
since,  did  such  a  vast  number  of  paraders  pass  through  the 
streets  of  the  metropolis  in  an  organized  procession.  The 
evening  before  the  parade  President  Harrison,  General  Sher 
man  and  other  distinguished  guests  dined  at  Butterfield's 
Fifth  Avenue  residence.  When  taking  their  leave,  Sherman 
said:  "Well,  General,  I  suppose,  as  is  always  the  case  with 
these  large  affairs,  you  will  keep  the  President  and  myself  wait 
ing  an  hour  or  two  on  the  reviewing  stand  after  the  time  ap 
pointed."  Butterfield  faced  Sherman,  and  said:  "General, 
did  you  ever  know  me  to  be  late  in  any  duty  assigned  me?" 
"No,  Dan,  I  never  did/'  answered  the  old  soldier.  "Well," 
added  his  host,  "I  will  be  at  that  stand  on  the  minute,  if  I  have 
but  a  single  man  behind  me,"  and  he  kept  his  promise,  with 
the  hundred  thousand  paraders  close  behind,  without  a  break 
or  a  hitch.  Later  the  General  issued  the  following  circular  let 
ter  to  his  numerous  associates  who  assisted  in  making  the 
occasion  a  success : 

"Deeply  impressed  with  the  sentiment  of  patriotism  entering 
into  every  detail  of  the  People's  Civic  Parade  at  the  Centennial 


198  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Celebration,  and  wishing  to  give  some  memorial  to  those  who 
acted  with  me  so  efficiently  on  that  occasion,  I  beg  your  ac 
ceptance  of  the  accompanying  engraving  of  our  Address  and 
of  the  silver  case  which  contained  it.  Also  drawings  of  the 
Medals  presented  to  the  Public  Schools  and  the  Veteran  Fire 
men's  Association.  When  the  memory  of  this,  our  First  Cen 
tennial,  shall  be  shaded  by  the  lights  and  progress  of  the  pres 
ent  century,  your  descendants  may  look  with  pride  on  the  sou 
venirs  of  your  successful  celebration  of  the  progress  of  our  city 
in  the  past." 

In  1892  General  Butterfield  established  a  three-years'  course 
of  thirty  lectures  for  Union  College.  As  early  as  the  winter 
of  1 860-6 1  he  had  arranged  a  course  of  military  lectures  under 
the  auspices  of  his  Twelfth  Regiment.  Gifted  by  nature  with 
special  aptitude  for  organization,  so  well  illustrated,  both  in 
his  military  and  business  career,  he  obtained  the  services  of 
many  distinguished  scholars,  statesmen  and  prominent  citizens, 
arranged  a  series  of  prizes  for  student  essays  on  the  lecture 
themes,  and  managed  his  floating  faculty  also,  conducting  his 
classes  with  such  success,  that  they  greatly  advanced  the  fame 
and  usefulness  of  his  beloved  Alma  Mater.  One  of  the  most 
valuable  results  of  the  course  was  the  enduring  emphasis 
placed  in  the  worth  of  that  close  touch  between  the  scholastic 
and  the  practical  world,  by  which  both  profit ;  one  in  being 
saved  from  becoming  purely  visionary ;  the  other  in  being  made 
to  feel  the  force  of  impulses  that  originate  in  the  broader  and 
more  searching  vision  of  the  cultivated  mind.  The  topics  dis 
cussed  were :  education  in  various  phases ;  military,  industrial, 
State;  political  life,  gubernatorial  and  diplomatic  service,  na 
tional  politics,  municipal  government ;  electrical  science ;  brain 
and  muscle;  architecture;  astronomy  in  its  practical  aspects; 
roads ;  patriotism  as  kindled  by  the  recollections  of  participants 
in  the  most  memorable  events  of  our  Civil  War ;  finance  in  the 
departments  of  banking  and  taxation;  practical  journalism; 
literature ;  the  highest  uses  of  wealth ;  and  the  lesson  read  from 
the  book  of  life  by  intellects  of  rare  insight  and  interpretative 
power.  These  lectures  became  such  a  popular  feature  of  col- 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  199 

lege  life  with  the  sons  of  "Old  Union,"  that  they  have  since 
been  followed  by  other  universities. 

In  1895,  thirteen  of  the  addresses  appeared  in  a  handsome 
octavo  volume  of  429  pages,  with  the  title  of  "The  Union 
College  Lectures — Butterfield  Course."  Among  the  promin 
ent  gentlemen  whose  discourses  and  portraits  appear  in  the 
above  volume,  are  Thomas  F.  Bayard,  Ambassador  to  Great 
Britain,  whose  subject  is  "Politics,  and  the  Duties  of  the  Citi 
zen";  Andrew  Carnegie,  "Wealth  and  Its  Uses";  Henry  W. 
Cannon,  "Banking  and  Currency" ;  Alonzo  B.  Cornell,  "The 
Electric-Magnetic  Telegraph" ;  William  A.  Hammond,  late 
Surgeon-General,  U.  S.  A.,  "Brains  and  Muscle:  Their  Rela 
tive  Training  and  Development" ;  Thomas  L.  James,  late  Post 
master-General,  U.  S.,  "The  Postal  Service  of  the  United 
States";  Gen.  P.  S.  Michie,  "West  Point:  Its  Purpose,  Its 
Training,  and  Its  Results";  Alexander  H.  Rice,  "Some  Inside 
Views  of  the  Gubernatorial  Office,"  and  Frederick  W.  Seward, 
whose  subject  is,  "Lincoln's  Administration." 

Dedication  Day  for  the  New  York  State  monument,  erected 
on  the  famous  battlefield  of  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1893,  was  an 
interesting  occasion.  The  Grand  Marshal  of  the  day  was 
General  Butterfield,  and  the  Orator,  Henry  C.  Potter,  Bishop 
of  New  York.  Generals  and  Governors  were  present,  and  the 
troops  were  arranged  in  four  divisions,  including  regiments  of 
the  First,  Second,  Third,  Fifth,  Sixth,  Eleventh  and  Twelfth 
Corps,  also  from  the  Cavalry  Corps.  The  Honorary  Grand 
Marshal  of  the  occasion  was  Gen.  George  S.  Greene,  then  in 
his  ninety-third  year,  the  senior  surviving  graduate  of  the 
United  States  Military  Academy,  as  well  as  the  oldest  living 
participant  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  where  he  commanded  on 
Gulp's  Hill  the  Third  Brigade,  of  the  Second  Division,  of  the 
Twelfth  Corps.  The  dedication  ceremonial  passed  off  promptly 
and  successfully,  as  was  almost  certain  to  be  the  case  with  all 
military  and  civil  functions,  controlled  by  General  Butterfield, 
with  his  great  ability  as  an  organizer,  which  he  displayed  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  and  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland. 

In  connection  with  Lafayette  Post,  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 


200  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

public,  of  which  the  General  was  commander,  he  was  instru 
mental  in  raising  several  regiments  for  the  Spanish-American 
War,  and  in  distributing  six  hundred  American  flags  to  the 
schools  of  Porto  Rico,  also  patriotic  literature,  both  at  home 
and  in  our  new  possessions.  He  personally  prepared  a  bro 
chure  which  was  widely  distributed  among  the  people  for 
whom  it  was  compiled  in  English  and  Spanish,  entitled  "Con 
stitution  of  the  United  States  of  America  (abbreviated)  with 
Some  Information  as  to  the  National  and  State  Governments, 
Schools,  etc.  Prepared  for  Distribution  to  the  People  of  Porto 
Rico,  U.  S.  A.,  by  Gen.  Daniel  Butterfield,  New  York,  Novem 
ber,  1898."  This  little  pamphlet  of  twenty  pages  contained  the 
following  preface,  clearly  explaining  its  purpose : 

"This  information  pertaining  to  our  Government  has  been 
prepared  for  translation  into  Spanish  and  distribution  among 
the  schools  of  Porto  Rico.  It  is  not  done  by  authority  of  the 
United  States  Government.  It  is  the  voluntary  work  of  the 
undersigned,  who  assumes  all  responsibility  therefor. 

"Lafayette  Post,  No.  140,  of  New  York,  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  an  organization  of  veterans  of  our  Civil  War  (1861- 
1865),  is  an  originator  in  promoting  loyalty  to  the  national 
flag  by  its  presentation  to  public  schools  and  ceremonious  in 
troduction  at  daily  school  openings.  This  organization  has 
expended  much  money  in  patriotic  work,  in  addition  to  charity 
and  fraternity,  which  are  important  factors  in  its  purposes 
and  work. 

"With  a  desire  to  advance  and  inculcate  loyalty,  the  Post 
sends  United  States  flags  to  the  Public  Schools  of  Porto 
Rico.  They  are  reported  as  numbering  some  550.  The  Junior 
Vice-Commander  of  the  Post  has  kindly  tendered  his  services 
for  the  presentation  of  the  flags.  He  visits  Porto  Rico  for 
this  purpose.  It  being  a  fitting  opportunity  to  distribute  this 
information,  I  have  had  it  prepared  and  printed.  Colonel 
Bakewell  kindly  consents  to  distribute  some  copies  of  these 
pamphlets.  If  their  distribution  aids  in  information  to  our 
new  citizens  of  the  beautiful  island  of  Porto  Rico,  and  a 
clearer  comprehension  of  the  advantages  and  privileges  of  being 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  201 

citizens  of  the  United  States,  producing  and  increasing  loyalty 
and  American  patriotism,  my  purpose  will  have  been  accom 
plished." 

Elihu  Root,  late  Secretary  of  War,  wrote  to  General  Butter- 
field,  saying: 

"I  have  examined  the  pamphlet  containing  Information  to  the 
People  of  Porto  Rico,  regarding  our  Government.  I  think  the 
design  is  admirable  and  the  effect  will  be  excellent.  It  seems 
to  me,  however,  that  while  you  are  doing  so  much,  it  is 
worth  while  to  go  a  step  farther  and  give  them  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  and  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States, 
complete.  Twenty-five  thousand  copies  of  these,  which  could 
just  as  easily  be  distributed  by  the  same  machinery,  would  be 
of  lasting  value.  They  are  really  very  brief.  I  see  no  occa 
sion  to  criticize  the  pamphlet  beyond  saying  that  it  is  so  good 
I  wish  there  were  more  of  it." 

Acting  on  behalf  of  a  number  of  admirers  of  the  late  Com. 
J.  W.  Philip,  Governor  Roosevelt  presented  a  handsome  sword 
to  the  former  commander  of  the  battleship  Texas,  at  a  recep 
tion  given  in  his  honor  by  General  and  Mrs.  Butterfield,  at 
their  residence,  616  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York,  on  the  evening 
of  February  3,  1899.  Many  of  the  guests  at  the  reception  were 
officers  in  the  army  and  navy,  the  others  being  subscribers  to 
the  testimonial.  Governor  Roosevelt  arrived  at  9.30  o'clock, 
accompanied  by  the  members  of  his  Staff.  At  that  time  the 
reception  rooms  were  already  crowded. 

Immediately  after  the  Governor's  arrival  General  Butterfield 
grouped  the  guests  around  him  for  the  presentation.  Colonel 
Roosevelt,  ex-Governor  Flower  and  the  Governor's  Staff  stood 
at  his  left  and  Commodore  Philip  stood  in  front  of  him.  Gen 
eral  Butterfield  then  read  the  address  from  the  inscription  in 
the  Album  that  was  presented  with  the  Sword  to  Commodore 
Philip,  which  was  signed  by  all  the  subscribers : 

"Commodore :  The  undersigned,  your  friends  and  fellow 
citizens  of  New  York,  have  asked  His  Excellency,  Governor 
Theodore  Roosevelt,  to  present  to  you  this  sword,  which  we 
have  caused  to  be  made  as  a  Testimonial  of  our  admiration  for 


202  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

your  character  and  for  the  skill  and  courage  displayed  by  you 
in  the  command  of  the  'Texas'  off  Santiago,  July  3,  1898,  when 
the  Spanish  Fleet,  under  the  command  of  Admiral  Cervera, 
was  destroyed  by  the  American  Fleet;  and  in  special  recogni 
tion  of  the  Reverential  Spirit,  which  prompted  you  to  give  pub 
lic  thanks  to  God  when  the  battle  was  won,  and  of  your  chiv 
alrous  conduct  in  restraining  the  cheers  of  your  victorious  crew 
over  their  vanquished  foe,  in  words  ever  to  be  remembered  in 
your  country's  history,  'Don't  Cheer,  Those  Poor  Devils  are 
Dying.' " 

Governor  Roosevelt  then  removed  the  beautiful  sword  from 
its  case  and  presented  it  to  the  Commodore  with  an  address 
which  voiced  incidentally  his  recognition  of  Admiral  Sampson's 
just  claim  to  the  chief  honors  of  the  Santiago  sea  campaign. 
The  Governor  said: 

"It  is  peculiarly  pleasant  to  me  to  present  you  with  this 
sword,  for  one  of  my  last  official  acts  as  Assistant  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  was  to  break  through  regulations  in  order  to  give 
you  the  chance  to  have  the  turrets  of  the  Texas  so  geared  that 
her  great  guns  could  be  used  to  the  best  possible  advantage; 
and  the  sequel  showed  how  well  it  was  for  the  service  that  you 
should  be  given  the  opportunity  to  get  the  utmost  use  from 
the  mighty  war-engine  entrusted  to  your  care. 

"When  a  commander-in-chief,  afloat  or  ashore,  has  done  the 
best  possible  with  his  forces,  then  rightly  the  chief  credit  be 
longs  to  him,  and  wise  and  patriotic  students  of  the  Santiago 
sea  campaign  gladly  pay  their  homage  first  to  Admiral  Samp 
son.  It  was  Admiral  Sampson  who  initiated  and  carried  on 
the  extraordinary  blockade,  letting  up  even  less  by  night  than 
by  day,  which  will  stand  as  the  example  for  all  similar  block 
ades  in  the  future.  It  was  owing  to  the  closeness  and  admir 
able  management  of  the  system  of  night  blockades  which  he 
introduced,  that  Cervera's  fleet  was  forced  to  come  out  by  day 
light.  In  other  words,  it  was  the  success  of  his  system  which 
ensured  to  the  splendid  sea  captains  under  him  the  chance  to 
show  their  prowess  at  the  utmost  possible  advantage.  But  the 
actual  fight,  although  Sampson  was  present  and  in  command, 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD  203 

was  a  captains'  fight,  and  in  this  actual  fighting  each  captain 
did  his  work  according  to  his  own  best  judgment. 

"You,  sir,  by  your  conduct,  alike  during  and  after  the  fight, 
by  your  courage,  by  your  professional  skill  and  by  your  hu 
manity,  reflected  honor  upon  the  service  to  which  you  belong, 
upon  the  State  in  which  you  were  born,  and  upon  the  mighty 
nation  on  the  roll  of  whose  worthies  you  that  day  wrote  your 
name  with  your  sword.  I  give  utterance  to  the  sentiment  of 
all  New  York  State — a  sentiment  from  which  no  man  in  the 
commonwealth  will  dissent — when  I  ask  you  to  take  this  sword 
as  a  token  of  the  high  esteem  in  which  we  hold  you,  and  of  our 
grateful  acknowledgment  of  your  having  done  a  deed  which 
has  added  to  the  long  honor  roll  in  which  all  Americans  take 
lasting  pride. 

"You  and  your  comrades  at  Manila  and  Santiago  did  their 
part  well,  and  more  than  well.  Sailor  and  soldier,  on  sea  and  on 
land,  have  bought  with  their  valor,  their  judgment,  their  skill 
and  their  blood,  a  wonderful  triumph  for  America.  It  now 
rests  with  our  statesmen  to  see  that  the  triumph  is  not  made 
void,  in  whole  or  in  part.  By  your  sword  you  won  from  war 
a  glorious  peace.  It  is  for  the  statesmen  at  Washington  to 
see  that  the  treaty  which  concluded  the  peace  is  ratified.  Cold 
indeed  are  the  hearts  of  those  Americans  who  shrink  alike  from 
war  and  peace,  when  the  war  and  peace  alike  are  for  the  honor 
and  the  interest  of  America.  To  refuse  to  ratify  the  treaty 
would  be  a  crime,  not  only  against  America,  but  against  civili 
zation.  We  cannot  with  honor  shrink  from  completing  the 
work  we  have  begun.  To  leave  the  task  half  done,  whether  in 
the  East  or  the  West  Indies,  would  be  to  make  the  matter 
worse  than  if  we  had  never  entered  upon  it.  We  have  driven 
out  a  corrupt  mediaeval  tyranny.  In  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico 
we  are  already  striving  to  introduce  orderly  liberty.  We  shall 
be  branded  with  the  steel  of  clinging  shame  if  we  leave  the 
Philippines  to  fall  into  a  welter  of  bloody  anarchy,  instead  of 
taking  hold  of  them  and  governing  them  with  righteousness 
and  justice,  in  the  interests  of  their  own  people  even  more 
than  in  the  interests  of  ours.  All  honor  to  you  and  your  com- 


204  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

rades,  to  the  generals  and  admirals,  the  captains  and  the  men 
of  might  who  showed  such  courage  on  the  high  seas  and  in  the 
tropic  islands  of  the  sea!  All  shame  to  us  if  the  statesmen 
flinch  where  the  soldiers  have  borne  themselves  so  well,  and  if 
we  do  not  ratify  the  treaty  which  has  been  bought  by  such 
daring  and  such  suffering  and  which  will  fittingly  crown  the 
most  righteous  war  the  present  generation  has  seen!" 

In  replying,  Commodore  Philip  said  he  wished  he  could  find 
words — they  were  in  the  dictionaries,  he  knew — to  reply  to  the 
kind  remarks  of  Governor  Roosevelt  and  to  acknowledge  the 
honor  which  had  been  done  him  in  the  presentation.  He  ac 
cepted  the  honor  in  the  name  of  the  officers  and  crew  of  the 
Texas,  whose  honorable  record  was  won  by  the  united  efforts 
of  all  on  board  of  her.  The  Commodore  said  he  wished  that 
all  of  the  ship's  company  might  be  present  to  share  in  all — • 
barring  this,  he  added,  waving  his  hand  toward  the  sword.  He 
recalled  the  successful  efforts  made  by  Governor  Roosevelt, 
then  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  to  have  the  ship's  twelve- 
inch  gun  mounts  rearranged,  so  that  the  time  between  firings 
was  reduced  from  eight  minutes  and  a  half  to  two. 

President  McKinley  sent  a  letter  expressing  his  regret  that 
the  pressure  of  his  many  engagements  kept  him  from  being 
present,  and  asked  that  his  hearty  congratulations  and  best 
wishes  be  conveyed  to  Commodore  Philip.  Among  the  other 
letters  of  regret,  one  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  John  D. 
Long,  to  General  Butterfield,  in  which  he  sends  regrets  that 
another  engagement  prevents  his  presence.  He  says :  "As 
I  should  be  very  glad  to  pay  my  tribute  of  respect  to  an 
officer  who  has  rendered  services  so  gallant  and  so  deserving 
of  the  recognition  you  are  giving  him."  Commodore  Robley 
D.  Evans  said  in  his  letter  of  regret  that  it  would  have  given 
him  great  pleasure,  but  for  his  engagements  impossible  to 
avoid,  "to  see  Roosevelt  give  Jack  Philip  a  sword.  I  hope  it  is 
a  handsome  one,  for  he  certainly  deserves  the  best  that  can  be 
made,  not  only  because  he  is  such  a  good  old  chap  gener 
ally,  but  because  he  prayed  so  loud  with  his  twelve-inch  guns 
off  Santiago,  July  3,  1898." 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  205 

The  sword  has  a  pommel  of  gold  capped  by  a  sardonyx, 
Commodore  Philip's  natal  stone,  supported  by  the  coat-of-arms 
of  the  United  States.  The  grip  is  of  carved  mother-of-pearl 
divided  into  thirteen  sections  by  gold  rope.  The  guard  is  of 
gold  relieved  by  a  small  section  of  silver.  Where  the  guard 
joins  the  pommel  are  set  two  diamonds.  It  bears  the  arms  of 
the  State.  On  the  blade  is  etched,  "To  Commodore  John  W. 
Philip,  U.  S.  N.,  from  His  Friends  and  Fellow  Citizens  of  New 
York."  The  scabbard  is  of  silver,  relieved  by  three  gold  bands, 
richly  carved  and  decorated  with  diamonds,  in  which  the  Com 
modore's  initials  are  worked.  The  sword-belt  and  trappings 
adhere  closely  to  the  regulation  United  States  Commodore's 
sword. 

Among  other  noteworthy  entertainments  given  at  the  Gen 
eral's  New  York  home  was  a  dinner  in  honor  of  General 
Howard,  then  in  command  of  the  Military  Division  of  the  At 
lantic,  at  which  thirty-four  men  of  distinction  in  military  and 
civil  life  were  present.  Pleasant  speeches  were  made  by  Gen 
erals  Sherman,  Slocum,  Howard,  Swayne  and  Butterfield,  also 
by  Bishop  Potter,  Senator  Warner  Miller,  Mayor  Low,  White- 
law  Reid  and  William  E.  Dodge.  President  Harrison,  who 
commanded  a  Brigade  of  Butterfield's  Division  in  the  battle  of 
Resaca,  sent  the  following  note : 

MY  DEAR  GENERAL:  INDIANAPOLIS,  Jan.  15,  1889. 

I  beg  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  cards  for  dinner  at  your 
house,  Thursday,  January  24th,  to  meet  General  Howard.  I 
would  very  much  enjoy  renewing  my  acquaintance  with  Gen 
eral  Howard  and  yourself,  as  my  old  army  commanders,  for  a 
time,  but  I  am  just  now  under  restraints  that  prevent  me  from 
giving  rein  to  my  desires  in  such  matters. 
Very  truly  yours, 

BENJAMIN  HARRISON. 

During  the  evening  Butterfield  related  an  amusing  incident 
connected  with  his  old  chief,  General  Hooker.  He  said :  We 
received  information  at  headquarters  that  some  deserters  from 
a  Georgia  regiment  knew  of  the  location  and  position  of 


206  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

the  headquarters  camp  of  a  Southern  general  that  made  it 
entirely  practicable  and  possible  to  send  in  a  picked  party  and 
capture  him.  General  Averill,  commanding  the  cavalry,  had 
discovered  the  same  thing.  A  volunteer  party  was  made  up 
and  permission  asked  to  let  the  party  dash  into  the  enemy's  lines 
and  capture  this  Confederate  chieftain.  We  were  all  in  glow 
ing  excitement  at  the  idea  and  hastened  to  General  Hooker, 
then  commanding  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  for  the  desired 
permission.  Imagine  our  surprise  at  a  decided  and  prompt 

refusal.  'What!  Capture  General '  (naming  him),  said 

Hooker.  'Oh,  no!  by  no  means.  I  know  him  well.  The 
more  generals  of  that  kind  the  other  side  have  the  better  for 
us.  I  would  let  him  go  instantly  if  we  had  him.  I  wouldn't 
run  the  risk  of  losing  an  orderly  sergeant,  or  even  exchange 
one  for  him/  and  so  our  attempt  at  capture  was  abandoned. 

"You  see,  some  generals  were  not  so  highly  esteemed.  I 
told  General  Longstreet  this  story  a  year  or  two  ago  at  Gettys 
burg.  He  laughed  and  said  he  didn't  think  Hooker  had  so 
much  'horse  sense.' '; 

A  week  later  General  Butterfield  presided  at  the  Convention 
of  the  National  Guard  of  the  United  States,  held  at  Tampa, 
Fla.  On  February  21,  1899,  he  wrote  to  Col.  A.  D.  Cutter,  of 
San  Francisco,  concerning  the  military  convention,  saying: 

Yours  of  February  9th,  with  enclosure  of  your  plan,  received 
here.  The  convention  resolved  upon  a  special  committee,  Gov. 
W.  D.  Bloxham,  Chairman,  to  formulate  and  present  to  Con 
gress  a  plan  which  should  provide  for  the  enrollment  (enlist 
ment)  of  the  National  Guard  of  the  various  States,  as  soldiers  of 
the  army  of  the  United  States  as  a  national  reserve — pay  i  cent 
per  diem  for  all  officers  and  non-commissioned  officers,  who  are 
certified,  by  detailed  regulars,  to  have  performed  the  prescribed 
duties,  the  officers  and  non-commissioned  officers  to  be  regu 
larly  brought  out  and  instructed  in  camp,  march,  sanitary,  cook 
ing  and  marching  work,  for  a  period  of  ten  days,  or  less,  if 
sufficient,  each  year,  with  and  under  detailed  regular  offi 
cers  and  in  company  with  regular  battalions  or  regi 
ments  of  the  United  States  army  where  possible — at  the 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  207 

expiration  of  the  ten-day  period  prescribed,  the  privates  to  be 
brought  out  with  the  officers  and  non-commissioned  officers 
for  one  week,  and  the  application  and  promulgation  of  the  in 
struction  received  given  to  the  National  Guard  troops  as  a 
whole,  with  the  aid  of  and  under  the  supervision  of  the  regulars 
detailed  for  the  duty.  Two  or  more  States  can  be  combined 
for  such  exercises.  The  pay  of  i  cent  per  diem  for  the  year 
to  go  to  the  State  authorities,  in  lieu  of  present  appropriations. 
For  the  ten  days  and  week  the  regular  pay  and  rations  of  the 
army  for  the  time,  to  be  paid  and  issued  to  those  present  for 
duty  upon  certification  of  proper  performance,  by  the  United 
States  officers.  This  provides  for  an  equivalent  to  the  present 
appropriations  for  National  Guard  troops,  and  makes  a  hand 
some  addition  for  the  week  and  ten  days'  service. 

These  troops  always  to  be  under  the  authority  and  command 
of  the  State  officials,  except  when  ordered  for  national  reserves 
for  the  army  for  the  instruction  period  and  for  any  emergency 
of  war,  riot,  etc.,  by  the  President  or  the  Secretary  of  War; 
when  the  authority  of  the  State  ceases  for  such  period  as  the 
President  or  the  U.  S.  Adjutant-General  may  demand  or  re 
quire  them,  being  during  such  period  under  the  pay,  control 
and  orders  of  the  United  States  Government  as  reserves  of  the 
regular  army  and  navy. 

For  service  in  the  reserves  the  officers,  non-commissioned 
officers  and  soldiers  must  pass  such  examination  and  have  such 
fitness  as  the  United  States  Government  may  prescribe,  their 
places  being  filled,  in  case  of  unfitness,  by  appointment  by  the 
President  from  the  regular  forces  for  such  temporary  service 
or  of  others  recommended  by  the  Governors  of  States,  who  may 
be  found  fit  for  duty  for  positions  that  they  are  to  fill. 

This  is  the  general  outline  of  the  measure  recommended  by 
me  to  the  committee  on  resolutions,  and  which  was  carried  by 
the  adoption  of  a  resolution  appointing  such  a  committee  to  be 
selected  and  designated  for  the  duty  by  Governor  Bloxham, 
which  committee  was  to  confer  with,  and  correspond  with,  the 
States  not  represented,  and  to  hear  and  combine  all  favorable 
and  proper  suggestions  from  the  various  States  that  would  be 


208  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

in  general  harmony  with  the  project  and  enlist  general  sup 
port  from  the  National  Guard  and  independent  military  organi 
zations,  State  authorities,  etc.,  to  create  a  homogeneous  body  of 
reserves,  organized  on  the  same  lines,  rules  and  regulations  as 
the  regular  forces,  uniformly  armed,  trained  and  instructed, 
leaving  to  the  home  instruction  in  their  localities  the  details  of 
the  manual,  the  drill,  the  formation  and  the  battalion  tactics, 
bringing  out  in  instruction  assemblages  for  such  purposes  what 
is  required  in  field  experience  in  war,  such  as  roads,  bridging, 
entrenchment,  cooking,  selection  of  camp,  etc.,  the  whole  being 
a  portion  of  the  U.  S.  Army  as  reserves. 

Your  plan  and  communication  will  be  referred  to  the  com 
mittee.  They  will  undoubtedly  adopt  from  it  any  views  that 
may  seem  to  them  of  value  and  in  accordance  with  the  best 
accomplishment  of  the  general  patriotic  purpose  in  view  that 
they  may  deem  practicable  and  useful  therefor. 

I  write  from  memory  only,  and  must  apologize  for  any 
omissions  or  defects.  It  would  be  well,  if  in  accord  with  the 
views  and  wishes  of  the  National  Guard  of  your  State,  that  they 
should  not  only  correspond  with  Governor  Bloxham,  but  also 
enlist  your  representatives  and  authorities  in  aiding  to  secure 
such  legislation,  when  it  comes  before  Congress. 

There  was  a  feeling  of  general  unanimity  and  accord  among 
the  delegates  of  the  twenty-five  States  represented ;  a  high  ap 
preciation  of  Governor  Bloxham's  patriotic  and  wise  action, 
and  a  general  confidence  that  good  and  practical  results  would 
eventually  be  arrived  at.  I  shall  return  to  my  home  in  New 
York,  after  a  short  stay  in  Florida.  Any  further  information 
I  can  furnish  is  at  your  service. 

Governor  Bloxham's  most  efficient  and  able  staff  officer, 
Colonel  Proskey,  will  give  you  any  details.  The  Adjutant- 
Generals  of  Virginia,  Michigan,  West  Virginia,  Texas,  Florida 
and  many  of  the  States  represented  are  heartily  interested  in 
the  plan,  which  will  not  only,  it  is  believed,  aid  very  much  and 
improve  the  various  bodies  of  State  troops,  but  make  an  effi 
cient,  strong,  useful  and  healthy  National  Reserve,  without 
depriving  the  States  of  authority  and  control  over  their  State 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  209 

troops,  except  in  emergency  of  war  or  disturbances  of  the  peace, 
when  it  may  become  necessary  for  the  general  Government  to 
assume  command  and  call  the  troops  into  service. 

I  hope  to  see  general  interest  aroused  in  the  matter  at  the 
next  convention,  probably  to  be  held  at  New  York,  or  Detroit, 
next  fall.  There  was  a  splendid  body  of  officers  present  at  the 
convention,  many  veterans  and  able  officers. 

NEW  YORK,  May  9,    1900. 
COLONEL  EDWARD  HILL,  Secretary. 

MY  DEAR  COLONEL  HILL — You  are  aware  of  my  intention 
for  a  long  time  to  present  and  place  in  the  Cemetery  of  the 
Battlefield  at  Fredericksburg,  a  memorial  to  the  Fifth  Corps, 
with  the  Secretary  of  War's  approval,  which  has  been  granted. 
The  monument  will  be  of  granite;  a  full  sketch  has  been  sent 
you.  It  will  take  a  long  time  to  finish  the  upper  granite  col 
umn.  As  part  of  the  contract  it  has  been  agreed  to  furnish  a 
large  drawing  and  a  model  in  wood,  full  size,  that  will  repre 
sent  the  monument  for  the  day ;  the  whole  contract  to  be  exe 
cuted  by  Hoffmann  &  Prochazka,  New  York.  The  cornerstone 
will  be  placed  there  on  the  occasion  of  the  Reunion  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  at  its  Annual  Reunion,  May  25th. 

I  shall  rely  upon  your  kind  services,  always  rendered  for  our 
old  comrades,  to  perform  all  duties  proper  and  appropriate  to 
the  placing  of  the  cornerstone  and  the  presentation  of  the  foun 
dation.  You  know  we  are  all  getting  along  and  no  so  appro 
priate  an  opportunity  is  likely  to  occur  again.  I  have  always 
felt  that  the  magnificent  services  of  the  Fifth  Corps  on  the 
occasion  of  that  battle  [it  appears  on  a  previous  page],  as  well 
as  many  others,  is  something  that  should  have  a  lasting  memo 
rial.  I  have  always  felt  that  there  should  be  no  failure  in  mak 
ing  some  memorial  to  the  whole  Corps. 

Reading  the  following  order  issued  by  me  after  the  battle 
[it  appears  on  a  previous  page] ,  I  feel  to-day  the  same  heartfelt 
appreciation  that  expresses,  and  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to 
place  a  lasting  memorial  of  enduring  granite  to  record  our 
feeling  towards  and  in  honor  of  the  Fifth  Corps  (whom  I  had 


210  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

the  great  honor  to  command  in  that  battle),  over  the  graves 
not  only  of  the  many  brave  men  of  the  Fifth  Corps  who  are 
buried  there,  but  also  in  honor  of  all  the  gallant  and  splendid 
soldiers  in  that  famous  battle. 

I  hope  that  many  of  the  members  of  our  Association  and 
Fifth  Corps  may  be  able  to  participate,  and  for  that  purpose  will 
you  please  issue  a  notice  to  the  Association  calling  a  reunion — 
perhaps  the  last  one  we  may  have,  and  secure  their  assistance 
in  a  tribute  to  all  our  comrades  who  fell  or  participated  in  that 
battle. 

Please  issue  your  usual  notice  to  our  Brigade  Association 
and  say  that  Colonel  Morris  will  have  notice  posted  at  Railway 
Station  of  hour  and  place  of  meeting,  and  give  Colonel  King's 
correspondence.  Yours  very  truly, 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 

NEW  YORK,  May  10,  1900. 
COLONEL  HORATIO  C.  KING,  Chairman  of  the  Fredericksburg 

and  Adjacent  Battlefields  National  Park  Ass'n: 
COLONEL — When  advised  of  my  election  as  member  of  your 
Association,  you  will  recall  that  I  asked  you  to  announce  to 
the  Board  my  acceptance,  and  that  I  would  do  something  hand 
some  for  the  Fredericksburg  battlefield  at  the  first  proper  op 
portunity.  My  personal  connection  with  the  battle  at  Freder 
icksburg,  as  commander  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac,  and  my  great  pride  and  gratitude  to  my  command  for 
their  splendid  fighting  there,  had  long  been  an  incentive  to 
commemorate  it  on  that  field.  After  thought  upon  the  subject, 
I  could  not  see  any  propriety  in  the  erection  of  a  triumphal 
structure  there,  since  we  were  very  severely  handled  and  hurt 
by  the  great  General  Lee  and  the  Confederate  Army.  Having 
secured  permission  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  I  decided  to  erect 
a  graceful  monument  to  the  fallen  heroes  of  my  command  who 
were  buried  with  others  in  the  cemetery  on  Marye's  Heights, 
where  we  assaulted,  and  let  it  bear  testimony  of  my  gratitude 
to  my  command.  A  contract  was  made  for  a  granite  monu 
ment,  the  design,  which  as  Chairman  of  the  Battlefield  and 


FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS 

MONUMENT 

IRECTCDBV 

MAJOR  GJENCLAL  MNJEL  BUTT£RF 


The  Fifth  Army  Corps  Monument  at  Fredericksburg,  Va. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  211 

National  Park  Association  you  have  seen  and  agreed  with  me 
as  to  its  beauty  and  propriety,  and  that  our  marking  the  place 
would  be  a  graceful  tribute  to  our  soldiers  and  recognize  our 
defeat  there  by  our  old  enemies,  General  Lee  and  his  army. 
We  have  been  mostly  erecting  monuments  where  our  victories 
occurred.  My  severe  illness  for  a  long  time  has  interfered  with 
any  work  by  me,  since  my  overwork  in  the  Dewey  Reception  in 
New  York  City,  but  I  shall  try  to  be  present. 

The  contractor  has  promised  to  have  the  foundation  and  cor 
nerstone  ready  in  place  for  our  reunion,  and  to  have  a  replica 
wooden  model  in  full  size  prepared  and  put  on  the  ground,  so 
all  may  see  and  realize  what  the  monument  is  to  be  when  com 
pleted,  which  will  take  some  time.  Col.  Edward  Hill,  of  the 
1 6th  Michigan  Regiment  Volunteers,  who  lived  for  a  time  at 
Fredericksburg,  and  was  in  the  Fifth  Corps,  and  Col.  Thomas 
Morris,  also  of  the  i6th  Michigan  Regiment,  and  who  now 
lives  at  Fredericksburg,  both  of  whom  thoroughly  understand 
the  battle  there,  and  have  written  very  intelligently  of  some  of 
the  battles  of  the  Corps,  will  be  present  and  aid  in  the  matter. 
Will  you  kindly  fix  an  hour  and  date  for  our  ceremony?  I 
trust  the  President,  Secretary  Root,  or  General  Miles  may  be 
there  and  receive  it,  on  Marye's  Heights. 
Very  truly  yours, 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 

The  cornerstone  of  the  monument,  erected  by  the  munifi 
cence  of  the  Commander  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  was  laid  in  the 
presence  of  President  McKinley  and  a  vast  multitude,  and  ac 
cepted  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  May  25,  1900.  On  Memorial 
Day  of  the  following  year,  the  monument  was  dedicated  with 
appropriate  ceremonials,  and  an  address  delivered  by  Col.  Ed 
ward  M.  L.  Ehlers.  Unfortunately,  General  Butterfield  was 
prevented  on  both  occasions  from  being  present  by  reason  of 
serious  illness,  which  all  deplored,  and  that  terminated  soon 
after  in  his  death.  Colonel  Ehlers  said,  in  part,  to  the  thousands 
present,  including  Union  and  Confederate  Veterans,  with  Sons 
of  Veterans,  and  numerous  citizens : 


212  GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

"Under  this  May-day  sky,  on  this  heroic  ground  surrounded 
by  fields  glorious  in  the  promise  of  immeasurable  harvest,  by 
homes  of  happiness  and  of  peace,  we  are  assembled  to  crown  the 
gracious  tribute  of  a  distinguished  soldier  to  the  gallant  men 
he  gallantly  led  in  the  conflict  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union. 
Memories,  hallowed  memories,  cluster  around  this  place. 
Yonder  was  the  home  of  Mary,  the  mother  of  Washington. 
In  that  home  were  inculcated  those  lessons  of  maternal  wisdom, 
the  foundation  of  that  peerless  character,  destined  to  achieve  a 
nation's  freedom.  .  .  . 

"We  glory  in  the  fact  that  no  other  land  has  produced  his 
equal.  Poets  have  sung  his  praise;  historians  have  made  him 
the  central  figure  in  the  world's  history.  All  nations  respect 
his  memory.  Wherever  civilization  extends,  in  every  clime  and 
every  tongue  the  name  of  Washington  is  the  synonym  of  all 
that  is  good  and  great  and  true.  The  immortality  of  Wash 
ington's  name  does  not  depend  upon  the  homage  succeeding 
generations  shall  pay  to  his  memory.  The  fidelity  of  his  un 
swerving  patriotism,  the  unsullied  integrity  of  his  personal 
character,  and  the  unquestioned  force  of  his  military  genius 
have  written  that  name  in  living  characters  first  upon  the 
brightest  page  of  the  immortal  record.  He  filled  a  mighty 
destiny  and  has  left  a  name  to  which  the  generations  of  men 
yet  unborn  will  pay  homage  when  all  the  monuments  a  grateful 
country  has  erected  to  his  fame  are  fallen  into  ruin.  These 
hills  and  valleys  have  echoed  the  sound  of  his  voice.  His  feet 
have  trod  the  ground  whereon  we  stand. 

"  'Put  off  thy  shoes  from  off  thy  feet,  for  the  place  whereon 
thou  standest  is  holy  ground/ 

"Rolling  back  the  tide  of  years,  other  memories  come  to  us 
of  the  forms  and  faces  of  the  long  ago — memories  of  men  who, 
in  their  young  manhood,  cemented  the  fabric  of  this  Union 
of  States  with  their  life's  blood.  Young  men,  our  playmates  in 
peace,  our  comrades  in  war,  of  each  of  whom  it  may  be  said 
that  beneath  his  humble  cap  was  a  head  as  honest  and  noble 
in  all  its  thoughts  as  any  that  ever  wore  a  helmet  or  bore  a 
knightly  crest;  beneath  whose  blouse  beat  a  heart  as  pure  and 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD  213 

unselfish  as  a  woman's ;  filled  with  the  loftiest  courage,  and  the 
hand  that  poised  his  musket  was  as  firm  and  true  as  any  that 
ever  splintered  a  lance  in  the  courtly  and  chivalrous  contests 
of  old.  Unknown  and  unmentioned  save  among  their  com 
rades  and  the  sacred  circle  of  home,  their  brave  commander 
has  not  forgotten  the  sacrifices  they  made,  and  in  loving  re 
membrance  has  written  his  appreciation  of  their  heroism  in 
enduring  brass. 

"  'Our  brave' :  whom  the  eye  desiring  sees  not  and  whom  the 
ear  attentive  hears  not.  'Death  hath  this  also/  says  Bacon, 
'that  it  openeth  the  gate  to  good  fame,  but  good  fame  in  its  turn 
conquers  Death/  They  are  not  dead  although  we  no  more  see 
them.  Behold  how  vast  and  various  is  their  life!  In  this 
Memorial  Day  they  live  again,  on  the  most  heroic  page  of  our 
history  they  move  and  breathe.  In  your  hearts  they  are  immor 
tal  in  the  deeper  splendor  of  the  flag  they  bore,  in  the  suprem 
acy  of  the  Union  they  maintained,  in  the  equality  in  that  union 
which  they  secured,  in  the  larger  power  and  increased  justice  of 
the  regenerated  country  that  they  served,  and  as  our  Comrades, 
tender  hearts  that  hear  me,  they  live  now  and  shall  live  forever 
natural  and  noble  and  beautiful. 

"They  won  the  victory,  but  with  what  mournful  and  pitying 
eyes  does  Liberty  still  survey  her  triumph,  bought,  as  all  great 
triumphs  have  been,  with  tears  and  blood  and  heart-breaks. 
They  died  to  preserve  the  integrity  of  the  Union.  We  live  that 
we  may  preserve  its  justice. 

'  'The  bravest  are  the  tenderest.'  Long  after  Major-General 
Daniel  Butterfield  shall  have  passed  away,  this  monument  will 
remain  as  an  evidence  of  the  kindliness  of  his  heart,  of  his  high 
appreciation  of  sterling  manhood,  and  of  his  genuine  admira 
tion  for  those  soldierly  qualities  possessed  by  the  officers  and 
the  men  of  the  Fifth  Corps — that  grand  old  corps  which,  from 
Hanover  Court  House  to  Appomattox,  was  front  among  the 
foremost  in  deeds  of  exalted  courage.  As  Colonel  of  the 
Twelfth  New  York,  his  regiment  was  the  first  to  cross  the  Long 
Bridge  into  Virginia  at  the  commencement  of  hostilities.  As 
Brigadier-General,  his  brigade  was  the  first  to  capture  a  piece 


214  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

of  ordnance  from  the  enemy,  and  he  is  the  first  of  all  the  gen 
erals  of  that  great  conflict  to  erect  a  monument  to  the  memory 
of  the  troops  they  commanded.  His  services  on  the  Peninsula 
were  brilliant  in  the  extreme  and  were  recognized  by  Congress 
in  voting  him  a  medal  for  distinguished  conduct  at  the  Battle 
of  Games'  Mill,  June  2.2,,  1862.  His  greatest  service  to  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  was  the  reorganization  of  the  defeated 
battalions  of  Burnside  into  that  disciplined,  soldierly  body  of 
men  which  composed  the  most  efficient  army  the  world,  up  to 
that  time,  had  ever  seen. 

"The  introduction  of  badges,  the  granting  of  furloughs  and 
making  the  companies  responsible  for  the  furloughed  soldier's 
return,  and  the  means  inaugurated  to  ascertain  the  movement 
of  the  enemy  were  the  creation  of  his  brain.  Under  Butter- 
field's  administration  of  the  Staff  Department,  Lee  made  no 
movement  that  was  not  speedily  reported,  the  number  of  his 
men,  artillery  and  cavalry  accurately  known ;  and,  consequently, 
every  movement  was  promptly  met  and  checked  until  that  dis 
tinguished  soldier  was  compelled  to  fight  the  great  battle  of  the 
war  at  Gettysburg,  in  an  unfriendly  country.  At  Gettysburg, 
Butterfield,  by  protesting  to  Meade  against  changing  position  in 
the  beginning  of  the  fight,  and  insisting  that  the  battle  must  be 
fought  on  the  advantageous  position  occupied  by  the  Federal 
Army,  served  his  country  more  efficiently  than  winning  a  bat 
tle  as  commander  of  troops  in  the  field.  The  brilliancy  of  his 
victory  at  Resaca  won  for  him  the  distinction  of  being  named 
the  Bayard  of  the  Armies  of  the  West.  Again,  his  valuable 
services  in  bringing  order  out  of  disorder,  dispersing  the 
guerillas,  and  protecting  the  line  of  transportation  from  Nash 
ville  to  Chattanooga,  were  of  supreme  importance  to  the  armies 
of  the  West,  and  were  an  acknowledged  factor  in  making  the 
advance  of  Sherman  to  Atlanta  a  success. 

"The  name  of  Butterfield  is  inseparably  linked  with  a  great 
epoch  in  the  history  of  this  Nation.  He  adorned  this  epoch 
by  talents  of  the  highest  order,  and  a  character  beyond  reproach. 
To  whatever  field  of  usefulness  he  was  called  his  services  were 
marked  by  unexcelled  devotion  and  tireless  energy.  Splendidly 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  215 

reckless  in  battle,  fertile  in  expedients,  careful  and  industrious, 
coupled  with  a  conservative  judgment,  he  stood  in  the  fore 
front  of  the  great  commanders  in  the  Civil  War  whose  names 
are  household  words.  He  stands  foremost  of  them  all,  soldiers 
of  the  Fifth  Corps,  in  the  loving  tribute  he  pays  to  you  by  the 
erection  of  this  monument,  extolling  your  heroism,  your  sacri 
fices  and  devotion  to  the  flag.  Long  may  he  be  spared  to  enjoy 
the  respectful  homage  of  our  people  and  the  happy  reflection 
that  his  name  is  engraven  not  upon  stone,  but  upon  the  hearts 
of  men. 

"There  is  an  indescribable  pathos  in  the  annual  recurrence 
of  this  day.  All  here  a  year  ago  are  not  here  to-day ;  all  here 
to-day  will  not  all  be  here  a  year  hence.  Slowly,  surely,  the 
remnant  of  the  Grand  Army  that  kept  step  to  the  music  of  the 
Union  is  joining  the  ranks  of  the  greater  army  marching  with 
noiseless  tread  upon  the  echoless  shore.  .  .  . 

"It  seems  eminently  appropriate  that  the  service  in  which  we 
are  engaged  should  take  place  on  Memorial  Day.  When  that 
Titanic  conflict,  in  which  commerce  was  wrecked,  industries 
decayed,  navies  sunk  into  the  sea,  and  armies  melted  into  the 
land,  had  ended,  when  at  last,  tragic  epilogue  of  a  tragic  his 
tory,  the  greatest  American  died  that  the  humblest  might  be 
free,  was  inaugurated  the  memorial  service  of  those  who  had 
given  their  lives  in  the  cause  they  believed  to  be  just. 

"This  beautiful  and  touching  ceremony,  performed  upon  a 
day  set  apart  for  that  purpose,  had  its  inception  in  the  hearts 
of  the  noble  women  of  the  South.  Closely  following  the  con 
clusion  of  the  great  struggle,  they  decked  the  graves  of  their 
heroes  with  flowers,  and  thereby  hallowed  the  memory  of  those 
who  had  given  their  lives  a  sacrifice  to  the  lost  cause.  The 
North,  taking  pattern  after  these  devoted  Southern  women, 
established  a  Memorial  Day  to  honor  the  services  of  those  who 
had  fallen  in  the  defense  of  the  Nation's  flag.  Here,  let  me 
say,  if  I  had  first  seen  the  light  of  day  under  the  Southern 
Cross,  if  my  environments  had  been  in  the  Southland,  if  its 
people  had  been  my  people,  its  traditions  my  traditions,  I  would 
have  followed  Lee  with  the  same  alacrity  and  consciousness  of 


216  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

doing  the  right  as  I  did  Butterfield  on  that  memorable  night 
in  May  long  years  ago. 

"Oh,  my  friends,  while  war  is  terrible  and  costly,  while  it  con 
sumes  the  treasure  of  a  people  and  immolates  the  flower  of  its 
youth,  if  it  be  the  instrument  to  the  accomplishment  of  im 
perative  necessary  ends,  it  is  the  mailed  hand  of  justice,  the 
preserver  of  society  and  civilization.  To  every  nation  is  given 
the  absolute  mandate  to  administer  justice.  Upon  that  man 
date  rests  the  most  sacred  interest  of  humanity.  If  justice  fails, 
anarchy  follows,  and  the  advancement  in  civilization  will  be  lost 
in  the  chaos  of  a  day.  Is  it  not  true  that  a  just  peace  treads 
often  in  the  footsteps  of  war?  that  the  harvest  of  prosperity  is 
often  reaped  upon  the  field  of  battle  ? 

"Great  principles  of  human  progress  have  ever  received  a 
baptism  of  blood.  Good  and  evil  have  always  been,  and  must 
always  be,  and  while  virtue  lives  and  courage  survives,  the 
powers  that  make  for  good  will  smite  the  powers  that  make  for 
evil.  When  all  else  fails,  when  persuasion  falls  on  heedless 
ears,  and  the  firm  statement  of  just  demands  meets  no  response, 
then  the  high  duty  of  the  hour,  the  full  discharge  of  the  great 
trust,  leaves  but  one  resort.  War  let  it  be.  What  war  has 
won  war  will  preserve,  and  while  the  clash  of  arms  fills  the 
wide  air  and  drowns  the  voice  of  peace,  let  all  men  learn  anew 
the  eternal  lesson  that,  at  whatever  cost,  liberty,  humanity,  and 
justice  shall  rule  the  world. 

"The  justice  of  the  great  struggle  for  the  integrity  of  free 
institutions  and  the  emancipation  of  man  is  our  only  consolation 
for  its  terrible  cost.  A  great  hideous  wrong  was  righted;  an 
offense  against  humanity  was  removed ;  an  essential  principle  of 
progressive  free  government  was  vindicated.  Every  man  who 
contributed  to  these  ends  was  an  instrument  of  justice — an 
agent  of  the  Most  High.  Let  their  memories  be  fragrant  for 
ever  with  the  fragrance  of  the  springtime  of  hope,  the  blos 
soms  and  fruitage  of  endless  seasons  of  human  liberty.  Let 
me  recall  the  words  of  Webster  to  the  survivors  of  the  Revolu 
tionary  War  at  the  laying  of  the  cornerstone  of  the  Bunker  Hill 
Monument : 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  217 

"  'When  you  shall  have  exchanged  your  embraces,  when  you 
shall  have  pressed  the  hands  which  have  been  so  often  extended 
to  give  succor  in  adversity,  or  grasped  in  the  exultation  of  vic 
tory,  then  look  abroad  upon  this  lovely  land  which  your  young 
valor  defended,  and  mark  the  happiness  with  which  it  is  filled ; 
yea,  look  abroad  upon  the  whole  earth,  and  see  what  a  name  you 
have  contributed  to  give  to  your  Country,  and  what  a  praise 
you  have  added  to  Freedom,  and  then  rejoice  in  the  sympathy 
and  gratitude  which  beam  upon  your  last  days  from  the  im 
proved  condition  of  mankind.'  So  may  I  say  to  you  comrades 
of  old,  look  abroad  upon  this  lovely  land  which  your  young 
valor  defended,  and  behold  the  happiness  with  which  it  is  filled, 
behold  its  fertile  plains  filling  to  overflowing  the  granaries  of 
the  world,  its  snowy  cotton  fields  tilled  by  free  men  that  free 
men  may  be  clothed,  its  mines  yielding  up  to  palace  and  to 
cottage  the  golden  mintage  and  iron  sinews  of  the  world;  its 
tens  of  thousands  spindles  whirring  to  the  music  of  liberty 
and  of  Union.  Behold  its  citizens  protected  in  their  just  rights ; 
its  rulers  obedient  to  the  law,  its  free  and  benevolent  institu 
tions  resting  secure  in  the  affection  of  a  generous  and  loyal 
people.  Yea,  look  abroad  upon  the  whole  earth,  and  see  what 
a  name  you  have  contributed  to  give  to  your  Country,  and 
what  a  praise  you  have  added  to  Freedom.  Behold  a  nation 
powerful,  just,  humane.  Behold  her  as  she  goes  on  her  swift 
mission  of  justice  and  mercy  to  succor  the  oppressed  and  smite 
the  oppressor,  while  civilization  applauds  and  humanity  blesses 
her.  Behold  her  take  her  appointed  place  in  the  forefront  of 
great  nations,  the  aureole  of  liberty  upon  her  brow,  the  fire 
of  a  divine  mission  shining  in  her  far-seeing  eyes.  Behold  her 
fame  on  every  lip,  her  example  an  inspiration  to  struggling  free 
men  in  every  land. 

"Comrades,  the  army,  the  matchless  army  of  which  you  were 
an  integral  part,  has  long  since  passed  away.  No  more  shall 
its  bugles  break  the  sweet  stillness  of  the  morning  air  as  with 
their  reveille  they  salute  the  coming  day.  No  more  shall  the 
falling  night  hear  the  rolling  tattoo  of  its  drums ;  its  tents  are 
struck,  its  cannon  have  thundered  their  last  notes  of  defiance 


218  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

and  of  victory.  Year  after  year,  we  who  are  its  survivors 
shall  gather  in  sadly  diminished  numbers  as  the  remorseless 
artillery  of  time  hurls  its  fatal  missiles  into  our  ranks,  until  at 
last  a  few  old  men  only  shall  come  together  to  honor  this  day, 
soon  to  fall  themselves  under  the  common  lot;  but  as  genera 
tion  after  generation  shall  pass  in  their  long  procession,  while 
the  great  flag  we  bore  in  our  marching  columns  floats  over 
a  free  and  united  people,  it  will  be  remembered  that,  in  their  day 
and  generation,  in  their  time  and  place,  our  fallen  comrades 
did  for  liberty  and  for  law,  for  the  Constitution  and  the  Union, 
deeds  worthy  of  immortal  honor,  deeds  that  in  endless  charac 
ters  shall  shine  on  glory's  brightest  page.  .  .  . 

"Mr.  Chairman,  in  the  name  of  Major-General  Daniel  But- 
terfield,  I  now  formally  present  this  monument  to  the  Freder- 
icksburg  and  Adjacent  National  Battlefields  Memorial  Park 
Association  as  his  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the  brave  men 
composing  the  Fifth  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The 
memorials  of  liberty,  sir,  have  been  as  mutable  as  the  vestiges 
of  slavery,  and  to-day  not  a  single  stone  remains  of  those 
splendid  monuments  erected  at  Marathon  and  Thermopylae  to 
commemorate  the  heroic  deeds  which  gave  Freedom  and  In 
dependence  to  Greece  and  deathless  glory  to  her  history.  The 
coming  centuries  with  their  dust  and  rust  will  obliterate  the 
inscriptions  upon  this  stone,  the  mutations  of  time  will  crum 
ble  and  destroy  it;  but  the  heroic  deeds  for  which  it  stands 
will  live  in  song  and  story  as  does  that  Spartan  band  at 
the  pass  of  Thermopylae  until  the  last  syllable  of  recorded 
time." 

The  monument  was  designed  and  the  work  executed  in  New 
York.  It  is  in  Doric  style,  the  bottom  base  is  nine  feet  by  nine, 
the  total  height  thirty-eight  feet.  The  tablets  on  four  sides  of 
the  die  are  of  bronze.  The  front  contains  the  dedication;  the 
reverse,  the  battles ;  one  side  names  of  the  commanders  of  the 
Fifth  Corps  and  the  other  the  brigades  and  casualties.  The 
column  is  encircled  by  laurel.  The  torus  of  base  and  cap  are 
encircled  by  oak.  The  front  of  column  has  cap  badge.  The 
top  has  a  polished  ball  and  flame.  The  size  of  second  base  is 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  219 

seven  feet  square.  The  size  of  die,  five  feet  six  inches  square. 
The  column  is  two  feet  ten  inches  in  diameter  by  fifteen  feet 
nine  inches.  The  ball  is  two  feet  six  inches  in  diameter  and  is 
polished.  The  flame  is  of  bronze  and  fire  gilt.  The  granite 
used  in  white  in  texture,  with  a  bluish  tint  when  polished,  and 
was  quarried  in  Barre,  Vermont.  The  weight  was  forty-seven 
tons.  The  foundation  was  built  of  solid  concrete,  and  was 
capped  with  native  Virginia  stone.  Another  tablet  was  placed 
on  the  second  base  after  dedication,  containing  a  record  of  the 
laying  of  the  cornerstone. 

At  the  thirty-second  annual  reunion  of  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac,  held  in  Utica,  in  the  month  of  May,  1901,  the  Twelfth 
Regiment  Veteran  Association  availed  itself  of  the  opportunity 
of  presenting  to  the  Oneida  Historical  Society  a  replica  of  the 
tablet  on  the  monument  of  the  Twelfth  Regiment  on  Little 
Round  Top,  Gettysburg.  Two  others  may  be  seen  in 
Memorial  Hall,  West  Point,  and  in  the  armory  of  the  New  York 
Twelfth  Regiment.  The  tablet  was  placed  on  the  east  wall 
of  the  Memorial  Building,  facing  the  Oneida  County  battle- 
flags.  It  is  of  bronze,  about  two  by  four  feet  in  size,  and  it 
contains  a  full-length  bas-relief  of  Butterfield  in  uniform,  and 
the  accompanying  inscription:  "Major-General  Daniel  But 
terfield  wounded  three  day's  battle  of  Gettysburg.  Chief  of 
Staff,  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Was  Colonel  of  the  I2th  Regi 
ment  at  outbreak  of  the  war,  and  brought  it  out  April  21,  1861." 
Then  follows  a  list  of  his  twenty-eight  battles,  already  given 
on  a  previous  page  of  this  volume.  In  accepting  the  gift, 
Judge  Coxe,  President  of  the  Society,  said,  in  speaking  of 
Gettysburg : 

"The  great  wave  of  gray  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  rock  of 
blue.  It  was  a  glorious  sight,  and  we  of  Oneida  may  feel  a 
pardonable  pride  when  we  remember  that  behind  that  wall, 
which  the  Confederates  never  crossed,  with  the  noble  Meade 
and  the  knightly  Hancock,  was  fighting  Dan  Butterfield, 
Meade's  Chief  of  Staff.  Well,  it  is  all  over  now,  and  the  battle- 
flags  are  furled ;  we  are  one  people ;  and  the  soldiers  of  the 
South  and  the  North  now  march  under  one  flag.  There  is  a 


220  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

General  Grant  and  a  General  Lee  in  the  army  to-day,  but  they 
both  wear  the  same  uniform." 

During  the  General's  illness,  extending  back  to  the  date  of 
the  Dewey  Celebration,  more  than  a  year  previous,  numbers  of 
letters  were  received  from  army  comrades,  making  inquiries 
about  his  condition,  and  expressing  sympathy  and  best  wishes 
for  his  speedy  recovery.  A  single  one  will  suffice: 

DEAR  MADAM:  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  April  15,  1901. 

I  see  by  a  newspaper  item  that  Maj.-Gen.  Daniel  Butterfield 
is  seriously  ill.  I  am  the  sole  survivor  of  his  Staff  of  1861. 
In  April,  1861,  I  joined  the  I2th  Regiment  as  private.  With 
out  my  knowledge  the  General  shortly  afterward  appointed 
me  on  his  Staff.  He  had  the  will  of  a  strong  man,  but  he 
was  just,  kind  and  considerate.  A  severe  injury  and  illness 
prevented  me  from  further  service  after  the  Patterson  cam 
paign. 

Some  months  ago  I  had  occasion  to  ask  a  favor  of  the  Gen 
eral.  Fearing  he  had  forgotten  me  in  the  long  years,  I  en 
deavored  to  identify  myself.  So  different  from  others,  his 
reply  was  not  only  made  with  military  promptness,  but  with 
a  womanly  kindness  he  anticipated  my  wants,  and  with  a  kind 
heart  he  referred  to  certain  of  my  acts  that  he  knew  would  give 
me  pleasure.  My  old  esteem  for  him  was  rekindled  into  life. 
Actions  overrule  time  and  space.  Kindly  sympathy  is  the 
bond  that  binds  man  together,  and  I  am  moved,  at  this  hour  of 
his  suffering,  to  offer — all  I  can — my  recognition  of  his  true 
manhood,  and  my  heartfelt,  voiceless  prayer  for  his  welfare. 

I  should,  if  not  too  much  trouble,  like  to  hear  news  of  the 
General's  condition.  Excuse  pencil.  I,  too,  am  old — 67 — 
only  waiting  until  the  shadows  a  little  longer  grow,  and  I  write 
this  on  the  impulse  of  the  moment  in  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Faithfully, 

H.  M.  MARTIN. 

Early  in  April  the  General  sustained  a  stroke  of  paralysis  of 
the  right  side,  in  New  York.  Two  months  later  he  was  taken 
from  his  city  home  to  "Cragside,"  his  country  residence  on  the 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BTJTTEEFIELD  221 

Hudson,  and  after  a  gradual  decline  he  died  during  the 
evening  of  July  I7th.  Three  days  later  his  funeral  services 
were  held  in  St.  Mary's  Episcopal  Church,  Cold  Spring,  and 
at  their  conclusion  the  large  congregation  were  permitted  to 
look,  for  the  last  time,  on  the  face  of  the  distinguished  com 
mander,  who  appeared  in  a  Major-General's  uniform.  All 
business  was  suspended  in  the  town  between  9  a.  m.  and  4  p.  m., 
and  flags  were  displayed  at  half-mast.  At  West  Point  the 
funeral  procession  was  formed  in  front  of  the  chapel,  the  Gen 
eral's  old  regiment,  the  New  York  Twelfth,  in  command  of 
Colonel  George  R.  Dyer,  having  the  right  of  line.  Other  or 
ganizations  parading  were,  Lafayette  Post,  of  New  York  City ; 
members  of  the  Military  Order  Loyal  Legion  and  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac;  the  United  States  Military  Academy  Field 
Battery  of  Artillery,  composed  of  cadets,  under  command  of 
Captain  Greble ;  the  Military  Academy  Detachment  of  Cavalry, 
under  command  of  Captain  Sands ;  the  officiating  clergyman, 
the  caisson  bearing  the  body,  the  friends  in  carriages,  and 
lastly  the  battalion  of  cadets  with  side  arms  only.  As  soon  as 
the  column  began  to  move  a  salute  of  thirteen  minute  guns  was 
fired  by  the  field  battery  at  a  distant  part  of  the  plains.  Arriv 
ing  at  the  cemetery,  the  body  was  transferred  from  the  caisson 
to  the  place  of  interment  by  a  detail  from  Company  M,  Engin 
eers,  and  lowered  to  its  final  resting  place,  not  far  distant  from 
the  grave  of  Gen.  Winfield  Scott,  and  within  view  of  "Crag- 
side,"  a  few  miles  distant,  across  the  Hudson.  The  Chaplain  of 
Lafayette  Post  then  read  the  burial  service  of  that  order,  and 
the  Rev.  E.  Floyd-Jones,  of  St.  Mary's,  Cold  Spring,  offered  up 
a  prayer, at  the  conclusion  of  which  the  assemblage  joined  in  the 
Lord's  Prayer.  Then  three  volleys  of  musketry  were  fired  over 
the  grave  by  the  entire  I2th  Regiment,  and  the  bugler  sounded 
taps.  During  the  ceremonies,  some  twenty-five  cadets  were 
overcome  with  the  heat,  and  some  five  men  of  the  I2th  Regi 
ment.  The  sufferers  all  received  prompt  aid  from  the  Hospital 
Corps  of  the  I2th  Regiment. 

The  monument  which  now  covers  General  Butterfield's  grave 
is  thirty-five  feet  in  height,  and  has  an  appearance  of  lightness 


222  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

due  to  the  sixteen  slender  columns  upon  which  rests  the  super 
structure.  According  to  the  sculptor,  however,  his  monument 
contains  the  largest  and  heaviest  block  of  pure  white  marble 
which  has  ever  been  quarried  in  this  country.  Though  a 
native  of  Utica,  and  most  of  his  life  a  citizen  of  New  York,  the 
General  desired  that  his  last  resting  place  should  be  at  West 
Point,  and  permission  was  promptly  given,  on  his  own  applica 
tion,  but  a  few  weeks  before  he  passed  away,  by  the  Secretary 
of  War. 

The  pedestal  of  the  tomb  consists  of  a  terrace,  the  lower  two 
steps  of  which  are  of  one  piece  of  granite,  with  a  base  fourteen 
feet  square.     The  upper  part  of  the  pedestal  is  of  the  white 
marble  of  which  the  superstructure  is  also  chiselled,  and  forms 
what  is  termed  the  third  base  and  the  die.     On  this  foundation 
stand  the  sixteen  slender  columns  with  elaborately  decorated 
capitals,  each  of  which  is  ten  feet  in  height.     Upon  the  columns 
rests  what  sculptors  call  the  "cap,"  chiselled  from  a  block  of 
marble  nine  feet  square  and  three  feet  thick.     This  part  of 
the  monument  had  to  be  hewn  from  the  largest  layer  of  mar 
ble  in  the  quarry  of  the  Vermont  Marble  Company,  at  Rutland. 
To  obtain  marble  for  the  base,  the  pillars,  the  cap  and  the 
four  buttresses  at  the  peak  of  the  tomb  an  area  of  one  hundred 
feet  square  had  to  cleared  on  this  layer,  which  has  an  average 
thickness  of  twenty  feet.     Each  piece  was  hewed  out  separately, 
and  the  block  from  which  the  cap  was  chiselled  was  estimated 
to  have  weighed  twenty-five  tons  in  the  rough.     By  means  of 
special  apparatus  this  great  piece  of  rock  was  hoisted  to  the 
ground,  where  a  house  was  built  about  it  and  where  workmen 
labored  upon  it  with  chisel  and  hammer  for  three  months.     At 
the  end  of  that  time  the  block  had  been  transformed  into  a 
vaulted  roof  open  to  the  sky  in  the  centre,  with  four  arches 
joining  its  corners,  and  decorated  within  with  the  fronds  of 
palms  and  without  with  symbolic  images,  including  burning 
torches,  medals,  scrolls  bearing  the  letter  "B,"  and  the  badge 
of  the  Fifth  Army  Corps,  which  the  General  commanded  at 
Fredericksburg. 

Above  the  cap  are  the  buttresses  of  the  peak,  consisting  of 


Marble  Tomb  of  General  Butterfield,  in  the  West  Point  Cemetery. 


GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 

four  marble  shafts  which  slightly  taper  toward  the  top,  where 
they  join.  Above  all,  instead  of  the  conventional  dove,  are  the 
outspread  wings  of  the  eagle  of  the  Union.  On  the  pillars 
are  recorded  forty-three  battles  and  skirmishes  in  which  Gen 
eral  Butterfield  was  engaged,  and  on  the  face  of  the  die  of  the 
pedestal  are  inscribed  the  dates  of  his  birth  and  death — "Oct. 
3!,  jg-j! — juiy  iyt  1901."  Within  the  pillars  stands  a  Greek 
urn  on  which  is  engraved  the  name  "Butterfield." 

After  the  General's  death  his  military  library  of  about  eight 
hundred  volumes,  including  many  valuable  works,  were  pre 
sented  by  his  widow  to  the  Twelfth  Regiment,  together  with  a 
life-size  bronze  bust  and  the  trunk  of  a  tree  from  Lookout 
Mountain  well  filled  with  bullets.  To  this  organization,  to 
which  he  was  so  devoted,  Butterfield  was  always  ready  to  con 
tribute  money  and  time  when  an  occasion  called  for  either.  To 
the  Old  Guard  Association  he  displayed  a  similar  devotion,  and 
in  its  hall  in  the  Armory  may  be  seen  large  paintings  of  the 
crossing  of  the  Twelfth  Regiment  on  the  Long  Bridge  and  the 
Battle  of  Resaca.  Copies  of  both  these  paintings  appear  on 
other  pages  of  this  volume.  In  the  same  place  may  also  be  seen 
a  series  of  some  two  score  war  pictures  by  Edwin  Forbes,  the 
well  known  artist.  These,  together  with  a  number  of  large  and 
interesting  engravings,  have  been  presented  by  Mrs.  Butterfield 
to  the  Old  Guard  Association  since  the  General's  death.  When 
the  State  made  a  liberal  appropriation  for  the  monument  of  the 
Twelfth  and  Forty-fourth  New  York  regiments  on  "Little 
Round  Top,"  which  was  dedicated  July  3,  1893,  General  But 
terfield  doubled  the  amount  upon  the  condition  that  the  rank 
and  file  should  be  remembered,  and  their  names  placed  on  the 
monument  in  enduring  bronze.  This  was  done,  and  to-day  it  is 
the  most  admired  and  grandest  among  the  four  hundred  monu 
ments  on  the  famous  field  of  Gettysburg.  It  stands  on  a  rock, 
and  is  built  of  solid  granite  and  bronze.  Among  the  many 
thousands  who  see  it  every  season,  the  usual  exclamation  is : 
"Well,  this  is  superb !" 


224  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 


TRIBUTES  TO  GENERAL  BUTTERFIELD. 

THE  NATIONAL  BANK  OF  COLD  SPRING-ON-HUDSON, 
COLD  SPRING,  N.  Y.,  July  18,  1901. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Directors  of  The  National  Bank 
of  Cold  Spring-on-Hudson,  held  this  day,  the  following  resolu 
tions  were  adopted : 

Whereas,  The  Directors  of  the  National  Bank  of  Cold 
Spring-on-Hudson  have  received  with  profound  sorrow  the  an 
nouncement  of  the  death  of  their  associate  and  President,  Gen. 
Daniel  Butterfield.  And, 

Whereas,  General  Butterfield  was  one  of  the  founders  of,  and 
president  of  the  bank  since  its  organization,  and  who  at  all 
times  was  ever  ready  by  advice,  by  personal  exertion  and  ma 
terial  assistance  to  advance  its  interests,  and  to  whose  efforts 
much  of  its  success  has  been  due.  Therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  by  the  death  of  General  Butterfield  the  bank 
has  lost  the  services  of  an  able  officer,  and  the  directors  an  as 
sociate,  the  loss  of  whose  advice  and  counsel  will  be  severely 
felt. 

Resolved,  That  the  Directors  tender  their  most  sincere  sym 
pathy  to  Mrs.  Butterfield  in  her  great  affliction  and  sorrow,  and 
that  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  sent  to  her. 

D.  W.  HARKNESS,  Cashier. 

HEADQUARTERS  I2TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY,  N.  G.  N.  Y., 
Armory,  62d  Street  and  Columbus  Avenue. 

NEW  YORK,  July  I9th,  1901. 

The  commanding  officer  with  sorrow  and  deep  regret  an 
nounces  the  death  of  Major-General  Daniel  Butterfield,  who  at 
one  time  was  the  beloved  Colonel  of  this  Regiment,  and  who  by 
his  bravery  and  distinguished  services  to  his  country  brought 
renown  and  glory  to  the  Twelfth.  General  Butterfield  at  all 
times  was  an  ardent  admirer  of  this  organization,  and  by  his 
deep  affection  and  kindly  interest  stimulated  our  efforts  to  keep 
up  the  high  standard  of  efficiency  to  which  he  brought  the 


Gettysburg  Monument  to  the  New  York  Twelfth  and  Fifty-fourth  Regiments. 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  225 

Twelfth  during  the  Civil  War.  Whatever  we  have  done  during 
the  many  years  that  have  gone  by,  since  General  Butterfield 
was  the  commanding  officer,  his  love  and  support  have  guided 
us  safely  through  many  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  and  brought 
us  renewed  credit  and  approbation.  The  love  of  his  memory 
will  ever  linger  with  us,  and  still  be  an  example  to  all  of  us 
whose  hopes  and  fears  are  for  the  welfare  and  good  of  our 
country  and  flag. 

Officers  will  wear  the  customary  badge  of  mourning  for  thirty 
days,  and  the  colors  be  draped.  Announcement  of  the  details 
of  the  funeral  will  be  made  later. 

By  order,  GEORGE  R.  DYER,  Colonel. 

RENE  A.  DE  RUSSY,  Adjutant. 

HEADQUARTERS  UNITED  STATES  MILITARY  ACADEMY, 
WEST  POINT,  N.  Y.,  July  I9th,  1901. 
Special  Order  137. 

I.  The  funeral  of  the  late  Major-General  Daniel  Butterfield, 
U.  S.  Volunteers,  formerly  Chief  of  Staff  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
will  take  place  to-morrow,  the  2Oth  inst.,  at  12  130  p.  m.    There 
will  be  no  services  at  the  chapel. 

II.  The  funeral  escort  will  be  commanded  by  Colonel  George 
R.  Dyer,  National  Guard  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  will 
consist  of  the  I2th  Regiment,  National  Guard  of  New  York, 
General   Butterfield' s   former   regiment;   the   U.    S.    Military 
Academy  Field  Battery  of  Artillery  and  the  U.   S.  Military 
Academy  Detachment  of  Cavalry.    The  escort  will  march  in  the 
order  above  named,  and  the  two  detachments  will  form  on  the 
south  end  of  the  cavalry  plain  by  12  :3<D  p.  m.    Upon  the  arrival 
of  the  1 2th  Regiment,  National  Guard  of  New  York,  it  will 
form  on  the  road  just  north  of  the  cadet  barracks. 

III.  During  the  funeral  the  following  salutes  will  be  fired : 
Thirteen   (13)    minute  guns,  beginning  when  the  procession 
moves;  a  salute  of  thirteen  (13)  guns  immediately  after  the 
three  (3)  volleys  of  musketry  have  been  fired  at  the  grave  by 
the  1 2th  Regiment,  National  Guard  of  New  York.    All  officers 
not  on  duty  will  attend  assembly  at  the  chapel  by  12:30  p.  m. 


226  GENERAL    DANIEL    BTJTTERFIELD 

The  battalion  of  cadets,  under  the  command  of  the  senior  cadet 
captain,  will  attend  with  side  arms  and  will  be  formed  on  the 
grass  between  the  chapel  and  the  cavalry  plain,  facing  south,  by 
12  130  p.  m. 

IV.     Full  dress  uniform  will  be  worn. 

By  order,  COLONEL  MILLS. 

W.  C.  RIVERS,  Captain  nth  Cavalry,  Adjutant. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Citi 
zens'  Savings  Bank  of  the  City  of  New  York,  held  at  the  bank 
on  Friday,  July  19,  1901,  the  following  Minute  was  unani 
mously  adopted : 

This  Board  has  heard  with  deep  regret  of  the  death  of 
Major-General  Daniel  Butterfield,  on  Wednesday,  July  17, 
1901. 

General  Butterfield  was  the  last  survivor  of  the  trustees 
named  in  the  act  of  the  Legislature  incorporating  the  Citizens' 
Savings  Bank,  passed  April  5,  r86o.  From  the  time  of  the 
organization  of  the  bank  General  Butterfield  had  never  ceased 
to  take  an  active  interest  in  its  affairs. 

He  had  filled  the  offices  of  first  and  second  vice-presidents, 
and  served  on  special  committees  of  importance,  and  for  a 
number  of  years  took  an  active  interest  in  the  investments  on 
bond  and  mortgage,  giving  the  bank  the  benefit  of  his  knowl 
edge  and  experience  in  real  estate  matters. 

On  the  first  call  for  troops  at  the  beginning  of  the  Rebellion 
General  Butterfield  went  to  the  front  as  Colonel  of  the 
Twelfth  Regiment,  New  York  State  Militia.  He  took  a 
deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  soldiers  under  his 
command,  and  whenever  practicable,  induced  them  to  send 
their  pay,  or  part  of  it,  to  the  Citizens'  Savings  Bank,  for  safe 
keeping.  He  endeared  himself  to  the  officers  and  trustees  by 
his  undeviatingly  kind  and  courteous  manner,  and  won  their 
admiration  by  his  sound  and  conservative  judgment,  and  by 
his  ability  as  a  speaker. 

The  Board  desires  to  express  to  the  family  of  the  deceased 
its  sincere  sympathy  and  condolence  in  the  affliction  they  have 


GEXEEAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

sustained,  and  directs  that  an  engrossed  copy  of  this  minute 
be  sent  to  them,   and  that  the  minute  be  published   in  the 

daily  press. 

HENRY  HASLER,  President. 
CHARLES  W.  HELD,  Secretary. 

EXTRACT  FROM  MINUTES  OF  THE  VESTRY. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Vestry  of  St.  Mary's,  in  the  Highlands, 
Cold  Spring,  held  on  July  30,  1901,  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  express,  in  behalf  of  the  Vestry,  to  Mrs.  Butterfield,  and  to 
inscribe  the  same  on  the  minutes  of  the  Vestry,  their  deep 
sense  of  the  loss  this  church  has  sustained  in  the  death  of  their 
friend  and  fellow  Vestryman,  Gen.  Daniel  Butterfield.  The 
Vestry  recall  with  grateful  remembrance  his  wise  counsel  and 
zealous  interest  in  the  welfare  of  this  church,  so  conspicuously 
shown  at  a  time  when  the  church  was  being  relieved  of  its  debt, 
and  they  will  miss,  at  its  deliberations,  the  eager  part  he  took 
in  all  things  that  pertained  to  the  support  and  progress  of  this 
Parish.  The  Vestry  further  desire  to  extend  their  fullest  sym 
pathy  to  Mrs.  Butterfield  in  her  deep  sorrow. 

ELBERT  FLOYD  JONES,  Rector. 

ELLIS  H.  TIMM,  Clerk. 

[Gen.  Butterfield  was  elected  as  one  of  the  Vestry  July  27,  1887,  and 
continued  as  such  till  the  time  of  his  death.  He  represented  this  Parish 
in  the  annual  meetings  of  the  Diocesan  Convention  from  1887  to  1900,  and 
he  was  also  a  member  of  the  Archdeaconry  of  Westchester  County.] 

At  their  annual  meeting,  September  29,  1901,  the  Rector, 
Wardens  and  Vestrymen  of  Ascension  Church,  West  Park, 
Esopus,  New  York,  unanimously  adopted  the  following  min 
utes,  and  directed  that  they  be  placed  upon  the  records  of  the 
Church,  and  be  communicated  to  Mrs.  General  Butterfield: 

We  desire  to  express  our  high  appreciation  of  the  character 
of  General  Butterfield,  for  many  years  a  Vestryman  and  Com 
municant,  and  a  representative  of  this  Parish  in  the  Conven 
tion  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York.  In  all  these  relations  he 
was  a  faithful  and  wise  steward.  He  went  forth  in  the  de 
fence  of  the  Union,  returning  with  well-deserved  distinction, 
but  did  not  forget  the  Church  and  home  of  his  earlier  vears. 


228  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

After  removing  to  other  scenes  he  attested  his  attachment  to 
Ascension  Church  by  renewing  and  beautifying  its  interior, 
and  again  more  recently  by  presenting  the  lands  adjoining  the 
river,  which  now  form  a  part  of  the  glebe.  Bearing  in  mind 
these  evidences  of  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  Parish,  we 
would  claim  the  privilege  of  paying  tribute  to  the  memory  of 
our  former  associate,  as  one  whose  name  and  character  will  be 
held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  those  who  shall  come  after, 
and  whose  example  affords  to  us,  who  are  now  separated  from 
his  earthly  presence,  our  consolation  and  assurance  of  his  ever 
lasting  felicity. 

Rector,  Legh  R.  Dickinson.  Wardens,  John  U.  Brookman, 
Eugene  R.  Durkee.  Vestrymen,  Adam  Neidlinger,  W.  H.  Van 
Benschoten,  George  F.  Neidlinger. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Union  College,  held 
at  the  Albany  Medical  College,  Albany,  N.Y.,  on  the  8th  day 
of  October,  1901,  the  following  resolutions  were  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  General  Daniel  Butterfield 
Union  College  has  lost  a  distinguished  son,  who  manifested  in 
many  ways  a  warm  interest  in  his  Alma  Mater.  As  one  of  the 
Alumni  Trustees  and  as  President  of  the  Alumni  Association 
he  took  an  active  part  in  college  affairs,  and  as  founder  of  the 
Butterfield  Lecture  Course  he  conceived  and  carried  out  a 
benefaction  of  great  value. 

His  services  to  the  country  in  the  Civil  War,  which  raised 
him  to  the  rank  of  Major-General  of  U.  S.  Volunteers,  are 
held  in  proud  remembrance  by  all  Union  men,  and  his  career 
as  a  public-spirited  citizen  is  an  illustrious  example  of  the  civic 
virtue  which  his  Alma  Mater  inculcates. 

Resolved,  That  this  Board  expresses  its  sympathy  to  the 
family  of  the  deceased,  and  that  the  secretary  transmit  to  Mrs. 
Butterfield  a  copy  of  these  resolutions. 

Extract  from  the  minutes. 

CLARK  BROOKS,  Secretary. 

General  Daniel  Butterfield,  of  the  Class  of  1849,  Union  Col 
lege,  passed  away  on  the  i8th  of  July,  1901.  At  this,  its  first 


GEXEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTEKFIELD  229 

meeting  since  that  event  occurred,  the  Union  College  Alumni 
Association,  of  New  York,  desires  to  place  on  record  its  pro 
found  sense  of  the  loss  which  it  and  our  Alma  Mater  have  sus 
tained  by  his  death.  General  Butterfield's  long  career  was  full 
of  honor  and  full  of  usefulness.  In  war  and  in  peace  he  was 
a  good  and  faithful  servant  of  the  common  weal.  The  thor 
ough-going  patriotism  which  nerved  him  to  risk  his  life  on 
many  a  bloody  battlefield,  while  the  civil  conflict  raged,  made 
him,  during  the  tranquil  years  which  followed,  a  public-spirited 
citizen,  helping  his  country  to  win  the  grand  victories  of  peace. 
Union  College  affectionately  and  gratefully  recalls  him  as  one 
of  her  most  loyal  and  efficient  sons. 

He  aimed  constantly  to  advance  her  welfare.  As  a  Trustee 
of  the  College,  and  as  a  member  of  the  General  Alumni  Asso 
ciation,  and  of  our  own,  which,  for  several  terms,  chose  him 
for  its  President,  he  labored  not  feebly,  not  perfunctorily,  but 
with  his  might.  The  lecture  course  which  bears  his  name  is  a 
demonstration  of  his  desire  to  be  of  practical  service  to  Union, 
and  of  his  ability  successfully  to  execute  whatever  he  under 
took.  This  lecture  course,  in  all  that  it  implies  of  inspiration, 
instruction  and  entertainment,  is  a  unique  monument  to  his 
memory;  attesting  that  the  valiant  soldier  was  an  equally  vali 
ant  friend  of  education.  So  long  as  Union  College  endures,  the 
name  of  Daniel  Butterfield,  of  '49,  will  shine  brightly  on  her 
merit  roll.  He  loved  her,  and  so  found  her  service  perfect 
freedom. 

It  is  ordered  that  this  minute  be  spread  upon  the  records  of 
the  Union  College  Alumni  Association,  of  New  York,  and 
then  a  copy  be  transmitted  to  the  family  of  our  deceased 
brother. 

Extract  from  the  minutes  of  the  first  meeting  of  the  year  of 
Alpha  of  New  York  Chapter  of  Sigma  Phi. 

Whereas,  Our  Heavenly  Father  has  in  His  wisdom  deemed 
it  best  to  take  from  the  hallowed  circle  of  friendship  that 
Patriot,  Citizen,  Veteran  General  and  Beloved  Friend,  Daniel 
Butterfield.  Be  it 


230  GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Resolved,  That  as  the  Alpha  of  Sigma  Phi  at  this,  our  first 
meeting  of  the  college  year,  do  hereby  express  our  grief  at  our 
loss  as  citizens,  students  and  brothers;  and  our  deep  sympathy 
with  Mrs.  Butterfield  in  her  affliction.  And  be  it  further 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  sent  to  Mrs. 
Butterfield,  and  that  they  be  inserted  in  our  minutes. 

E.  P.  V. 
MEMORIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  POST. 

[It  is  not  customary  for  Lafayette  Post  to  prepare  resolutions  on  the 
death  of  its  members,  but  at  the  memorial  service  at  the  end  of  the 
year  for  those  who  have  passed  away  a  record  is  made  similar  to  the 
one  that  follows,  is  read  at  the  meeting  and  then  placed  among  the  ar 
chives  of  the  Post.— EDITOR.] 

Daniel  Butterfield  was  born  October  31,  1831,  in  Oneida 
County,  New  York,  and  was  the  son  of  John  Butterfield,  one 
of  the  originators  of  the  American  Express  Company,  which 
built  the  first  telegraph  line  from  New  York  to  San  Francisco. 
Our  Comrade  was  Lieutenant,  Captain,  Major  and  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  of  the  Seventy-first  New  York  State  Militia;  First 
Sergeant  of  the  Clay  Guards,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Colonel  of 
the  Twelfth  New  York  Militia ;  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  Colonel 
of  the  Regular  Army;  Brevet-Brigadier  and  Brevet  Major- 
General,  United  States  Army,  for  gallant  service  in  the  field; 
Colonel,  Brigadier-General  and  Major-General  of  Volunteers. 

He  organized  the  Clay  Guards  for  defense  of  the  Capitol, 
1 86 1 — pending  the  arrival  of  the  troops.  He  commanded  the 
famous  Twelfth  New  York,  and  May  24,  1861,  led  the  first 
column  of  Union  troops  across  the  Long  Bridge  into  Virginia. 
In  the  Peninsula  Campaign  he  commanded  the  Third  Brigade, 
First  Division,  Fifth  Corps,  was  in  many  battles  of  those 
bloody  days,  and  was  wounded  at  Games'  Mill.  Commanded 
the  Fifth  Corps  at  Fredericksburg,  was  Chief  of  Staff  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  at  Chancellorsville,  at  Gettysburg,  and 
again  wounded;  was  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Eleventh  and 
Twelfth  Army  Corps  at  Chattanooga  and  Lookout  Mountain; 
commanded  the  Third  Division,  Twentieth  Corps,  at  Resaca, 
where  the  late  President  Harrison  led  the  Seventieth  Indiana 
in  the  first  assault,  and  held  the  enemy's  guns. 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  231 

In  civil  life  he  was  active  and  versatile.  Assistant  United 
States  Treasurer  under  President  Grant.  Grand  Marshal  of 
the  Centennial  Civic  Parade ;  was  chief  organizer  of  the  Ad 
miral  Dewey  Reception;  President  of  the  Union  College 
Alumni  Association;  President  of  the  Society  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  and  Chancellor  of  the  New  York  Commandery, 
Loyal  Legion.  He  joined  the  G.  A.  R.,  March,  1886,  and 
Lafayette  Post,  August  2.,  1895,  and  was  its  Commander  in 
1898,  when  it,  under  his  leadership,  raised  8,000  troops  for  the 
Spanish  War. 

Comrade  Butterfield  was  a  remarkable  man,  energetic  to  a 
wonderful  degree,  indefatigable  in  the  pursuit  of  his  aim,  and 
fruitful  in  resources  to  accomplish  his  purposes.  He  died  July 
17,  1901,  and  was  buried  at  West  Point,  by  special  permission 
of  the  Secretary  of  War,  with  his  beloved  Twelfth  Regiment, 
the  military  idol  of  his  life,  as  escort,  and  this  Post,  to  which 
he  contributed  so  much  to  add  to  its  history  and  fame. 

NEW  YORK,  N.  Y.,  April  21,  1902. 
To  the  Old  Guard  Association,  12th  Regiment,  N.  G.  N.  Y. 

COMRADES — The  Special  Committee  appointed  to  draft  a 
suitable  minute  for  the  permanent  record  of  this  Association 
of  the  Military  and  Civic  Career  of  our  late  President,  Major- 
General  Daniel  Butterfield,  present  the  following  for  your  ap 
proval,  copied  in  part  from  the  report  to  the  Military  Order 
of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the  United  States  of  America,  Com 
mandery  of  the  State  of  New  York,  August  31,  1901 : 

MILITARY  RECORD. — "Private  New  York  State  Militia;  Lieu 
tenant,  Captain,  Major  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  71  st  Regiment, 
New  York  State  Militia;  First  Sergeant  'Clay  Guards/  Wash 
ington,  D.  C,  April  1 6th,  1861 ;  Colonel  I2th  Regiment  New 
York  State  Militia  (three  months'  service)  ;  Lieutenant-Colonel 
I2th  Infantry,  U.  S.  Army,  May  14,  1861 ;  Brigadier-General 
U.  S.  Volunteers,  September  7,  1861 ;  Major-General  U.  S. 
Volunteers,  November  29,  1862;  Colonel  5th  Infantry,  U.  S. 
Army,  July  i,  1863;  resigned  March  14,  1870.  Brevet  Briga 
dier-General  U.  S.  Army,  March  13,  1865,  'for  gallant  and  meri- 


232  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 

torious  service  during  the  war,'  Brevet  Major-General  U.  S. 
Army,  March  13,  1865,  'gallant  and  meritorious  services  in 
the  field  during  war.'  '• 

CAMPAIGNS  AND  ENGAGEMENTS. — Defences,  Washington, 
D.  C.,  General  Patterson's  Shenandoah,  Va.,  Campaign ;  Penin 
sula  Campaign  (commanding  3d  Brigade,  ist  Division,  5th 
Corps)  :  Yorktown,  Hanover  Court  House,  Mechanicsville, 
Turkey  Bend,  Games'  Mill  (where  wounded),  Peach  Orchard, 
Savage  Station,  White  Oak  Swamp,  Glen  Dale,  Malvern  Hill, 
Second  Manassas,  Fredericksburg  (commanding  5th  Corps), 
Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg  (where  wounded — Chief  of 
Staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac)  ;  Wauhatchie  (Chief  of 
Staff  nth  and  I2th  Army  Corps,  Campaign  of  Chattanooga 
and  Lookout  Mountain)  ;  Pea  Vine,  Ringgold,  Buzzard  Roost 
(commanding  3d  Division,  2Oth  Army  Corps)  ;  Resaca,  Dallas, 
New  Hope  Church,  Golgotha,  Kenesaw,  Kolb's  Farm,  Cassville. 
Congressional  Medal  of  Honor  for  special  gallantry  at  Games' 
Mill,  Va.,  June  27,  1862.  President  of  the  Society  of  Army  of 
Potomac,  1891.  Chancellor  of  the  New  York  Commandery, 
February  16,  1866  to  May  2,  1866. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  war  General  Butterfield  was  Colonel 
of  the  1 2th  Regiment,  New  York  State  Militia.  He  drilled  and 
organized  at  Washington  the  "Clay  Guards"  for  the  protection 
of  the  Capital  pending  the  arrival  of  troops.  Returning  to 
New  York,  he  promptly  recruited  and  brought  to  Washington 
his  famous  I2th,  having  been  the  first  to  offer  the  services  of  a 
regiment  to  the  Government  and  (May  24,  1861)  led  the  first 
column  of  Union  troops,  advancing  across  the  Long  Bridge  into 
Virginia.  He  subsequently  commanded  a  brigade  in  Patter 
son's  column,  and  afterward  the  3d  Brigade,  ist  Division,  5th 
Corps,  long  known  as  Butterfield's  Brigade,  and  distinguished 
by  its  unique  bugle  call :  the  syllables  of  his  name  adapted  to 
the  bugle  notes. 

His  services  on  the  Peninsula  were  brilliant  in  the  extreme. 
His  Brigade  was  the  first  in  this  McClellan  Campaign  to  cap 
ture  a  piece  of  ordnance  from  the  enemy  at  Hanover  Court 
House,  and  he  was  the  first  of  all  the  generals  to  erect  a  monu- 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  233 

ment  to  the  memory  of  the  troops  they  commanded.  In  com 
mand  of  the  3d  Division,  2Oth  Army  Corps,  his  troops  also 
captured — at  Resaca — the  first  guns  lost  by  Johnston  in  Sher 
man's  Atlanta  Campaign.  He  commanded  the  5th  Army  Corps 
in  the  sanguinary,  but  hopeless,  assault  made  at  Fredericksburg. 
He  subsequently  served  as  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  until  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  and  it  was  here  that 
his  Brigade  did  such  excellent  work  at  Little  Round  Top.  His 
greatest  service  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  the  reorgani 
zation  of  the  defeated  battalions  of  Burnside  into  that  discip 
lined,  soldierly  body  of  men  which  composed  the  most  efficient 
army  the  world,  up  to  that  time,  had  ever  seen,  and  his  efforts 
in  this  capacity  were  appreciated  by  none  more  highly  than 
General  Hooker.  Recovering  from  his  Gettysburg  wound,  he 
was  ordered  to  assist  this  latter  general  in  taking  the  nth  and 
1 2th  Corps  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  the  relief  of  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland,  where  these  troops,  with  others,  were 
afterward  constituted  the  2Oth  Corps,  and  General  Hooker  as 
signed  to  its  command.  Its  3d  Division  was  made  up  of  other 
troops,  most  of  which  had  never  participated  in  any  battle  until 
engaged  in  the  famous  assault  on  Resaca,  in  which  Colonel 
(President)  Benjamin  Harrison  led  his  7Oth  Indiana  in  its 
first  assault  and  held  the  enemy's  guns.  General  Butterfield 
continued  in  this  command  until,  broken  with  fever,  he  was 
sent  to  the  hospital  before  the  Atlanta  Campaign  was  ended. 
He  was  afterward  ordered  on  special  service  to  Vicksburg  and 
down  the  Mississippi,  and  returning  to  New  York  on  duty, 
after  hostilities  had  terminated,  was  ordered  in  charge  of  the 
regular  recruiting  service.  In  all  his  military  career  the  official 
records  abound  with  the  commendations  of  his  immediate 
superiors. 

The  introduction  of  badges,  the  granting  of  furloughs  and 
making  the  companies  responsible  for  the  furloughed  soldier's 
return,  and  the  means  inaugurated  to  ascertain  the  movement 
of  the  enemy  were  the  creation  of  his  brain.  Under  his  admin 
istration  of  the  Staff  Department,  Lee  made  no  movement  that 
was  not  speedily  reported,  the  number  of  his  men,  artillery  and 


234  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

cavalry  accurately  known,  and  in  consequence,  every  movement 
was  promptly  met  and  checked  until  that  distinguished  soldier 
was  compelled  to  fight  the  great  battle  of  the  war  at  Gettysburg, 
in  an  unfriendly  country.  There,  Butterfield,  by  protesting  to 
Meade  against  changing  position  in  the  beginning  of  the  fight, 
and  insisting  that  the  battle  must  be  fought  on  the  advanta 
geous  position  occupied  by  the  Federal  Army,  served  his  coun 
try  more  efficiently  than  by  winning  a  battle  as  commander  of 
troops  in  the  field. 

Civic  RECORD. — General  Butterfield  was  born  October,  31, 
1831,  in  Oneida  County,  New  York.  His  father,  John  Butter- 
field,  a  well-known  citizen  of  Central  New  York,  was  one  of  the 
originators  of  the  American  Express  Company,  and  built  the 
first  telegraph  line  from  New  York  to  San  Francisco.  Young 
Butterfield  graduated  from  Union  College  in  1849,  and  pre 
pared  for  the  bar,  but  his  age  prevented  his  admission,  and  he, 
therefore,  entered  upon  commercial  pursuits. 

In  his  civil  life  he  was  public-spirited  and  patriotic.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  New  York  State,  Chattanooga  and  Gettysburg 
Monument  Commission,  in  behalf  of  which  his  efforts  were 
untiring.  To  quote  his  own  words,  he  believed  that  "every 
inch  of  ground  made  sacred  by  the  footprints  of  a  soldier  of 
the  American  Revolution  should  be  identified  for  the  benefit 
of  succeeding  generations,"  and  that  "every  monumental  tablet 
is  a  seed  of  patriotism  fraught  with  silent  and  continuous  in 
struction."  He  served  as  Assistant  United  States  Treasurer 
at  New  York,  under  President  Grant,  and  once,  against  his 
will,  ran  for  Congress.  He  was  Grand  Marshal  of  the  Civic 
Parade  at  the  Centennial  Celebration  in  New  York  City,  in 
1889,  when  the  paraders  passed  the  reviewing  stand  with  un 
precedented  rapidity ;  he  also  conducted  Sherman's  funeral  with 
equally  masterly  management. 

General  Butterfield  was  a  man  of  liberal  attainments,  who 
loved  art  and  scholarship.  His  book  on  "Outpost  Duty,"  used 
at  present  throughout  the  whole  army,  was  highly  commended 
by  Sherman,  who  ordered  copies  for  his  entire  command.  His 
researches  in  the  Bibliotheqnc  Nationale  of  Paris  for  the  old 


GENEEAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  235 

manuscripts  of  St.  Brendin,  who  was  thought  to  be  the  possible 
first  discoverer  of  America,  were  a  matter  of  national  "interest. 

General  Butterfield  was  President  of  the  Union  College 
Alumni  Association  of  New  York,  and  until  very  recently, 
regularly  attended  the  meetings.  He  established  a  course  of 
lectures  there,  given  by  distinguished  men.  "The  Butterfield 
Course,"  as  it  was  known,  became  such  a  popular  feature  of 
college  life  that  the  example  has  since  been  followed  by  other 
universities.  In  connection  with  Lafayette  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of 
which  he  was  Commander,  he  was  instrumental  in  raising  large 
numbers  of  men  who  were  enlisted  in  the  Spanish-American 
War,  and  in  distributing  flags  and  patriotic  literature  as  well, 
in  our  new  possessions  as  at  home. 

It  was  during  his  work,  in  charge  of  the  reception  of  Ad 
miral  Dewey,  in  this  city,  in  1899,  when  he  was  the  Mayor's 
right-hand  man,  that  he  was  attacked  by  the  serious  illness, 
from  which  he  never  completely  recovered.  He  continued, 
however,  to  forward  to  completion  several  historical  tablets 
and  monuments  that  he  had  promoted,  notably  the  one  at 
Fredericksburg  to  the  Fifth  Corps,  which  he  himself  had 
generously  given.  General  Butterfield  died  July  17,  1901,  at  Cold 
Spring,  Putnam  County,  New  York,  his  funeral  taking  place 
July  20,  1901,  at  West  Point,  where  his  remains  were  interred 
by  special  permission  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  A  Greek  tem 
ple,  commemorative  of  his  deeds,  will  be  erected  there  by  his 
widow,  this  summer. 

"The  name  of  Butterfield  is  inseparably  linked  with  the  great 
epoch  in  the  history  of  this  Nation.  He  adorned  this  epoch  by 
talents  of  the  highest  order,  and  a  character  beyond  reproach. 
To  whatever  field  of  usefulness  he  was  called,  his  services  were 
marked  by  unexcelled  devotion  and  tireless  energy.  Splendidly 
reckless  in  battle,  fertile  in  expedients,  careful  and  industrious, 
and  possessing  the  power  of  controlling  and  organizing  men 
in  a  marked  degree,  as  well  as  administrative  ability  coupled 
with  conservative  judgment,  he  stood  in  the  forefront  of  the 
great  commanders  in  the  Civil  War  whose  names  are  household 
words."  All  who  knew  him,  in  either  civic  or  military  life,  can 


236  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

attest  to  his  kindliness  of  heart  and  high  appreciation  of  sterling 
manhood  in  others. 

And  when  came  the  last  bugle  call,  this  man  of  valor  ren 
dered  to  his  Maker  the  sum  of  his  days  and  deeds,  as  one  may 
who  hath  "fought  the  good  fight,"  lay  down  his  arms,  and  rest 
peacefully.  He  is  not  dead,  although  we  no  more  see  him. 
On  the  most  heroic  page  of  America's  history  he  moves  and 
breathes;  in  our  hearts  he  is  immortal  in  the  deeper  splendor 
of  the  flag  he  defended,  in  the  supremacy  of  the  Union  he  main 
tained,  in  the  equality  in  that  Union  which  he  secured,  in  the 
larger  power  and  increased  justice  of  the  regenerated  Country 
he  served,  and,  as  our  Comrade,  he  lives  now,  and  shall  live 
forever,  natural  and  noble  and  beautiful. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

ROBERT  AVERY. 
EDWARD  M.  L.  EHLERS, 
CHARLES    E.    SPRAGUE. 

COLONEL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD,  I2TH  REGIMENT,  NEW  YORK 
STATE  MILITIA  (1861). 

Every  school  boy  in  America  is  familiar  with  the  story  of  the 
great  conflict  for  the  integrity  of  the  Union  and  the  emanci 
pation  of  man;  but  the  personal  characteristics  of  the  leaders 
in  that  struggle  become  known  only  as  each  passes  on  to  the 
invisible  army  beyond  this  earthly  life. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  disappointments  in  life  are  great  and 
the  successes  tragically  few.  This  may  apply  to  men  in  the 
aggregate,  but  history  and  observation  teach  us  that  the  special 
man  may  make  conquests  from  time — surmount  difficulties — 
and  attain  the  goal  of  his  ambition.  The  failures  of  the  general 
man  result  from  the  confidence  reposed  in,  and  the  deferred 
hopes  of,  the  eternal  to-morrow;  while  the  triumphs  of  the 
special  man  may  be  absolutely  traced  to  his  earnest  action  in  the 
ever  living  present — in  the  realities  of  the  to-day. 

It  may  be  said  of  Butterfield  that  with  him  there  was  no 
to-morrow  in  life.  He  displayed  the  unceasing  activity  of  an 
ever  present  to-day.  His  eventful,  useful  and  well-spent  life 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  237 

cannot  fail  to  give  satisfaction  and  gratification  to  the  patriot 
ism  of  all,  and  stimulate  the  young  men  of  our  land  to  nobler 
ambition,  by  emulating  the  example  of  him  whose  career  was 
so  singularly  marked  with  unsullied  glory  and  unspotted  per 
sonal  respect. 

Butterfield  was  a  born  soldier.  Everything  he  wrote,  every 
thing  he  said,  everything  he  did,  even  at  the  commencement  of 
his  distinguished  military  career,  give  evidence  of  this  fact. 
Before  the  commencement  of  hostilities  between  the  North  and 
the  South,  while  others  hesitated,  he  saw  with  prophetic  vision 
the  magnitude  of  the  contest  to  be  waged,  and  hastened  to 
Washington  to  offer  the  services  of  his  regiment  for  the  defence 
of  the  Nation's  Capitol.  Within  twenty-four  hours  after  his 
regiment,  then  small  in  numbers,  received  its  orders  to  proceed 
to  Washington,  he  had  recruited  its  ranks  to  its  maximum 
strength,  and  at  its  head,  on  that  Sunday  morning,  April  21, 
1 86 1,  as  he  led  the  I2th  Regiment  to  the  front,  began  a  public 
military  career,  brilliant  and  meritorious,  justly  entitling  him 
to  a  high  place  upon  the  scroll  of  fame. 

Shortly  after  the  I2th  Regiment  reached  Washington,  it  went 
into  camp  on  Jackson  Square.  Here  began  a  course  of  instruc 
tion  which  fitted  scores  of  men  in  the  ranks  for  the  commissions 
they  subsequently  obtained  in  the  volunteer  forces.  Twenty 
per  cent,  of  the  regiment  were  recruits,  young  men  from  every 
walk  in  life — the  bank,  the  factory,  the  professions,  and  the 
various  industries  of  the  City  of  New  York  were  represented 
in  this  undisciplined  number.  In  less  than  three  months  the 
genius  of  Butterfield  made  them  a  disciplined  body  of  soldiers 
unexcelled  by  any  other  in  the  service  of  the  Government. 

Many  of  the  officers  of  the  regiment,  as  then  constituted, 
were  not  fitted  to  instruct  these  recruits.  No  one  felt  this 
more  than  Butterfield.  He  quickly  overcame  this  difficulty  by 
applying  for  and  obtaining  a  detail  of  ten  officers  of  the  regular 
army,  whose  graduation  had  taken  place  in  advance  because  of 
the  breaking  out  of  hostilities.  The  instruction  given  by  these 
tacticians  was  quickly  apparent  in  the  manual  of  arms  and  the 
marchings  of  the  regiment.  The  work  of  Butterfield  in  bring- 


238  GENEEAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

ing  the  regiment  to  a  high  degree  of  proficiency  was  recognized 
by  the  Government  in  his  appointment  of  Lieutenant-Colonel 
of  the  1 2th  U.  S.  Infantry,  in  May,  1861. 

Butterfield,  in  addition  to  his  natural  qualifications  as  a  leader 
of  men,  possessed  the  distinctive  qualities  of  intelligence,  pa 
tience  and  pluck.  His  orders  were  models  of  directness,  clear 
ness  and  simplicity.  He  was  patient  in  the  removal  of  every 
object  which  retarded  the  upbuilding  of  the  regiment  and  fear 
less  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  as  he  saw  it.  While  friendly 
and  considerate  to  the  rank  and  file  of  the  regiment,  no  one 
even  for  a  moment  forgot  that  he  was  its  Colonel.  As  a  discip 
linarian  he  had  no  superior,  because  the  rank  and  file  of  the 
regiment  believed  in  him  and  trusted  him. 

The  control  he  had  over  the  regiment  was  illustrated  upon  the 
occasion  of  a  review  of  the  troops  in  Washington  by  the  Presi 
dent.  As  the  1 2th  Regiment  marched  past  the  reviewing  stand, 
General  Scott  called  Colonel  Butterfield  to  him,  and  said,  "Your 
regiment,  sir,  marched  like  regulars."  On  return  of  the  regi 
ment  to  the  camp,  Butterfield  formed  it  into  a  hollow  square, 
repeated  the  words  of  Scott,  and  then  gave  permission  to  all, 
not  on  guard  duty,  to  leave  the  camp  until  the  hour  of  dress 
parade,  with  the  injunction  that  none  must  come  back  intoxi 
cated.  Only  two  of  more  than  nine  hundred  men  found  a  place 
in  the  guard-house  that  night. 

The  tireless  energy  of  Butterfield  in  fitting  the  I2th  Regiment 
for  active  and  efficient  service,  his  perfect  knowledge  of  every 
detail  pertaining  to  the  training  of  the  soldier,  his  skill  in  the 
evolutions  of  the  regiment  at  drill,  his  constant  supervision  of 
the  theoretical  and  practical  instructions  of  the  rank  and  file, 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  older  officers  of  the  army  then 
stationed  at  Washington,  who  readily  saw  in  the  Colonel  of 
the  Twelfth  promise  of  future  greatness  as  a  soldier,  and  one 
worthy  of  the  utmost  confidence  upon  any  movement  requir 
ing  capacity,  judgment  and  nerve. 

The  advance  of  the  troops  stationed  at  and  near  Washing 
ton  into  Virginia  took  place  on  the  night  of  the  24th  of  May, 
1861.  The  I2th  Regiment  was  located  in  the  heart  of  the 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEKFIELD  239 

city,  and  its  departure  was  conducted  so  silently  as  to  be  unob 
served,  unnoticed  by  the  residents  in  the  vicinity  of  its  camp. 
At  midnight  the  several  companies  were  quickly  and  quietly 
formed  in  the  company  streets  of  the  camp,  awaiting  the  order 
to  march.  A  southern  moon,  tingeing  every  object  with  its 
mild  and  mellow  radiance,  together  with  a  stillness  almost  de 
pressing,  gave  a  dash  of  romance  to  the  occasion,  which  the  liv 
ing  few  who  stood  in  those  ranks  will  remember  until  the  final 
muster  comes.  Suddenly  a  shrill  whistle,  from  the  centre  of 
the  parade  ground  is  heard,  whistling  the  assembly.  Promptly 
each  company  moved  out  of  its  street  on  to  the  parade  ground, 
and  assumed  its  place  in  the  regimental  formation.  Again 
came  the  whistle,  column  forward  by  the  right  flank,  march. 
Without  the  sound  of  bugle,  or  drum,  or  word  of  command,  the 
1 2th  Regiment  was  put  in  motion  by  the  whistling  of  its 
Colonel.  On  reaching  the  north  end  of  the  Long  Bridge,  a 
number  of  regiments  were  halted,  awaiting  instructions  as  to 
who  should  lead  in  the  advance  into  Virginia.  Upon  the  ar 
rival  of  General  Mansfield  the  question  was  asked  who  should 
lead,  and  he  replied,  "Why,  Colonel  Butterfield,  of  course." 

The  story  of  Butterfield,  from  Washington  in  1861,  to  Ap- 
pomattox  in  1865,  is  more  like  a  romance  from  the  graceful  pen 
of  a  novelist  than  the  portrayal  of  the  achievements  of  a  great 
man.  His  courage  and  genius  contributed  largely  toward  the 
success  of  the  Union  Army.  Duty  was  his  watchword;  pa 
triotism  and  loyalty  the  inspiration  of  all  his  actions.  An 
American  of  Americans,  he  made  for  himself  a  prominent  place 
among  the  distinguished  men  whose  names  adorn  the  history 
of  our  land. 

EDWARD  M.  L.  EHLERS. 

General  Oliver  concluded  the  tribute  to  his  commander  and 
comrade,  from  which  several  extracts  appear  in  the  earlier 
pages  of  this  biography,  with  the  following  paragraphs : 

"General  Butterfield  was  remarkable  in  his  power  to  organ 
ize.  He  showed  that  most  completely  when  the  civic  parade 
was  organized  by  him,  some  ten  years  ago.  No  attention  had 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

been  paid  to  the  civic  and  industrial  parade,  when  General  But- 
terfield  took  charge  of  it.  Everything  had  been  done  for  the 
military  parade,  but  with  the  exception  of  the  German  division, 
which  was  at  work  on  floats,  nothing  had  been  done  for  the 
civic  parade.  There  was  only  one  month  and  a  half  to  get 
ready,  and  yet  in  that  short  time  he  had  communicated  with  the 
different  trades,  and  got  them  to  make  floats,  with  various  de 
vices,  and  had  brought  together  a  force  of  100,000  men. 

"I  have  never  seen  his  equal  as  an  organizer,  and  to  bring 
order  out  of  chaos.  He  was  full  of  resources,  and  with  him 
there  was  no  such  thing  as  fail.  What  was  to  be  done  must 
be  done,  and  woe  to  him  who  would  come  to  him  and  say,  that 
he  could  not  do  this,  that  or  the  other.  Fearless,  with  a  quick 
eye  to  take  in  the  situation,  familiar  with  the  different  arms  of 
the  service,  and  the  drill  and  evolutions  of  regiments,  brigades 
and  divisions.  He  was  a  born  soldier,  capable  and  efficient  to 
the  last  degree,  understanding  the  minutest  detail.  In  civil 
life  the  kindly  gentleman  was  ever  ready  to  help  comrades  in 
need  or  distress/' 

NEW  YORK,  Jan.  28,  1904. 
MY  DEAR  GENERAL  WILSON  : 

May  I  venture  to  pay  a  slight  token  of  respect  to  my  de 
parted  friend,  General  Butterfield,  by  recalling  a  single  inci 
dent,  or  I  may  say  achievement,  in  his  distinguished  career? 
That  was  when  I  first  made  his  acquaintance.  True,  as  a 
junior  staff  officer,  attached  to  another  command,  I  knew  that 
General  Butterfield  was  successively  a  brilliant  and  efficient 
Brigade,  Division  and  Corps  Commander  in  the  5th  Army 
Corps,  while  I  was  serving  in  the  3d  Army  Corps ;  but  it  was 
as  the  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  that  I  came 
to  know  him  in  person,  and  to  appreciate  his  generalship.  So 
much  so,  that  in  the  ensuing  year,  when  the  fortune  of  war 
threw  me  temporarily  near  his  command,  I  was  offered  and 
promptly  accepted  an  ad  interim  service  on  his  Staff  (3d  Divi 
sion,  2Oth  Corps,  Army  of  the  Cumberland).  My  war-time 
acquaintance  with  him  ripened  into  an  enduring  and  mutual 
friendship  that  made  his  demise  come  to  me  as  a  personal  loss ; 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  241 

and  I  wish  I  could  pay  a  suitable  tribute  to  his  memory.  Con 
scious  of  my  inability  to  do  so,  may  I  recall  the  special  and 
notable  service  to  which  I  allude — not  always  appreciated,  per 
haps,  but  only  because  not  known  by  many  of  his  friends  and 
surviving  comrades  in  arms? 

Although  he  was  not  the  commander  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  yet,  so  far  as  a  Chief  of  Staff  can  be  awarded  credit, 
that  naturally  attaches  to  the  Commanding-General  of  an  army, 
the  work  of  General  Butterfield,  as  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  while  under  the  command  of  Major-General 
Joseph  Hooker,  is  entitled  to  an  exceptional  place  in  the  his 
tory  of  that  famous  army. 

The  conditions,  early  in  1863,  when  General  Butterfield  was 
called  to  that  distinguished  post,  were  truly  lamentable.  At 
home  the  enemies  of  President  Lincoln  and  of  the  Union  cause 
were  active,  and  encouraging  fault-finding  and  fomenting  dis 
sensions.  They  had  carried  the  November  election  in  New 
York  State  against  the  Union  party,  although  the  latter  was 
ticketed  and  supported  by  the  War  Democrats  and  Republicans. 
Many  persons,  even  some  in  the  army,  believed  that  in  some 
cases  regular  officers,  holding  commissions  of  high  rank  in  the 
volunteer  service,  had  no  eager  personal  interest  in  bringing  to 
a  close  a  war  that  would  reduce  them  to  their  regular  army 
rank;  and  that  sometimes  untrained  volunteer  generals  cared 
more  for  their  political  future  than  a  zealous  attention  to  mili 
tary  duties  might  permit. 

The  last  call  for  troops  had  brought  into  the  field  new  and 
untried  regiments  while  yet  the  depleted  ranks  of  the  regiments 
that  had  borne  the  woes  of  a  year  of  combats  had,  against  all 
military  protests,  remained  unrecruited.  Officers,  in  many 
instances,  who  had  gone  home  under  various  pretexts,  had 
resigned  because  they  easily  secured  commissions  of  higher 
rank  in  the  new  regiments,  otherwise  unfortunately  officered 
by  untrained  or  inexperienced  men.  The  retreats,  counter 
marches  and  untold  sufferings  of  the  much-abused  Army  of  the 
Potomac  had  been  emphasized  by  the  blunderings,  or  negli 
gences,  almost  wilful,  of  generals  high  in  command,  at  the 


242  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEKFIELD 

sanguinary  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  and  the  unfortunate  "mud 
march, "  the  following  month  (January,  1863).  Absentees 
were  overstaying  their  furloughs,  so  that  the  reported  "de 
serters"  (for  they  did  not  really  "desert"  their  cause)  some 
times  aggregated  one  thousand  a  day !  The  spirit  of  the  army 
remained  undaunted ;  but  its  morale  and  autonomy  were — to  put 
it.  mildly — quite  below  the  necessities  of  offensive  warfare 
against  a  vigilant,  courageous  and  elated  foe. 

It  was  under  these  circumstances  that  General  Butterfield 
was  called  to  headquarters  as  Chief  of  Staff  to  the  commanding 
general.  True,  General  Hooker's  appointment,  by  President 
Lincoln,  as  Commander  of  the  Army,  had  awakened  an  enthu 
siasm  among  the  troops  that  needed  only  to  be  fanned  to  run 
aflame.  But  this  was  not  all  that  was  needed  to  constitute  a 
cohesive,  reliable  and  effective  army.  Supplies  and  men  and 
officers  might  be  assembled,  but  all  had  to  be  re-moulded  into 
a  re-united  and  forceful  entirety.  From  the  headquarters'  staff 
to  wagon  drivers,  from  generals  to  corporals,  duties  had  to  be 
relearned  and  rehearsed;  and  each  cog  soundly  fitted  to  its 
exact  place  in  the  great  machine  which  was  thenceforward  to 
wheel  into  action  as  the  new  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

This  was  the  task  assigned  to  General  Butterfield,  and  in  less 
than  three  months  it  was  silently  and  surely  accomplished. 
First,  the  "headquarters"  of  the  army  became  transformed  from 
an  habitual  depot  of  delays  to  a  model  of  neatness  and  dispatch 
in  the  transaction  of  public  business.  The  staff  itself  was  re 
organized,  and  each  department  chief  so  specially  instructed 
as  to  leave  no  doubt  about  what  he  was  expected  to  accomplish, 
and  how  much  or  how  little  time  he  had  to  do  it  in.  Each 
Corps  and  Division  Commander  was  charged,  with  specified 
particularity,  as  to  the  requisites  essential  to  the  utmost  effi 
ciency  of  his  command.  Reports  and  reports  were  swiftly 
called  for,  exposing  necessities  to  be  supplied,  and  abuses  or 
neglects  to  be  remedied.  Generals,  for  instance,  were  com 
pelled  to  learn,  without  guessing,  how  long  it  would  take  their 
commands,  or  any  part  of  them,  marching  with  or  without 
artillery,  or  trains,  or  furnished  with  supplies  of  all  kinds  for  a 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  243 

stated  period,  to  pass  a  given  point;  how  extensive  would  be 
the  column ;  what  space  would  be  required  for  its  various  parts  •, 
and  innumerable  other  corresponding  inquiries  demanded  in 
structive  investigations.  Regular  officers,  specially  qualified 
as  experts  in  their  respective  arms,  were  sent  through  the  ar 
tillery,  the  cavalry,  the  infantry,  the  ordnance,  quartermasters', 
commissary  and  ambulance  trains;  and  all  departments  and 
sections  of  the  army  were  thus  subjected  to  most  rigid  and  fre 
quent  inspections.  Reviews  by  batteries,  regiments,  brigades, 
divisions  and  corps,  were  incessant.  The  cavalry  was  reor 
ganized,  and  for  the  first  time  consolidated  into  a  single  corps : 
taught  to  act  independently,  and  to  rely  on  itself.  An  efficient 
secret  service  department  was  organized  for  the  first  time  in 
that  army.  A  system  of  flags  and  badges  was  instituted,  the 
designs  and  colors  of  which  told  at  a  glance  the  corps,  division 
and  brigade  to  which  anybody  belonged — a  system  fashioned 
after  the  red  patch  devised  by  the  lamented  Kearny  for  his  own 
Division,  and  so  developed  and  applied  by  the  new  Chief  of 
Staff  that  it  was  adapted  to  and  adopted  in  all  the  Union  armies 
for  the  rest  of  the  war. 

By  a  system  of  furloughs  every  man  was  given  a  chance  to 
visit  his  home  before  the  spring  campaign.  Men  absent  be 
yond  their  leave  were  given  opportunities  honorably  to  rejoin 
their  regiments;  and  willingly  they  returned  by  hundreds  and 
by  thousands,  notwithstanding,  in  many  cases,  the  discourage 
ments  of  neighbors  at  home.  It  is  a  pity  that  there  is  no 
known  diary  of  all  the  patient  and  exacting  labors  of  those 
short  months,  under  the  vigorous  devices  of  this  new  Chief  of 
Staff.  He  made  every  individual  in  the  army  sensitive  to  the 
spirit  and  the  touch  of  the  new  commanding  general. 

By  the  time,  at  the  end  of  the  winter,  that  President  Lin 
coln  had  separately  reviewed  every  army  corps,  paraded  as 
each  one  was  for  him  in  their  proud  rehabilitation,  there  was 
no  man  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  who  was  not  as  proud  of 
his  membership  in  it,  as  he  was  loyal  to  his  duty,  his  President 
and  his  General. 

It  is  in  no  sense  detracting  from  the  well-earned  distinction 


244  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

due  to  General  Hooker,  the  commanding  general,  for  this  serv 
ice,  to  recognize  that  it  was  so  successfully  achieved  under  him 
by  the  persistent  and  sagacious  efforts  of  his  Chief  of  Staff. 
Nor  is  it  unjust  to  his  predecessors  to  affirm  that  hitherto  that 
army  had  never  before  had  that  kind  of  a  Chief  of  Staff.  If 
proofs  were  wanting,  it  might  be  said  that  never  before  did 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  accomplish  such  concealed  and  ex 
tended  marches  as  when  in  June,  1863,  it  abandoned  the  Rap- 
pahannock  to  surprise  Lee  at  Gettysburg. 

It  was  during  a  great  part  of  this  period  of  General  Butter- 
field's  service  as  Chief  of  Staff  that  I  was  almost  daily  at  the 
army  headquarters,  finally  serving  there  as  aide-de-camp  to 
the  commanding  general,  until  General  Hooker  was  relieved 
from  command  on  the  eve  of  that  supreme  combat  and  decisive 
engagement,  when  I  returned  again  to  the  Third  Corps.  And 
so  it  has  happened  that  I  have  always  felt  that  no  adequate 
recognition  has  been  historically  awarded  to  our  lamented 
friend  for  the  distinguished  and  useful  service  he  rendered  to 
the  army  and  the  country  in  the  comparatively  brief  period 
covered  by  his  assignment  as  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  Yours  very  sincerely, 

HENRY  EDWIN  TREMAIN. 

23  FIFTH  AVENUE,  N.  Y.  CITY,  Feb.  24,  1904. 
MY  DEAR  GENERAL: 

I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  are  at  work  on  a  memorial  vol 
ume  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  my  old  friend  and  comrade, 
Major-General  Daniel  Butterfield. 

At  the  outset  of  the  Civil  War  he  commanded  the  Twelfth 
National  Guard,  in  which  I  had  served  as  a  captain  during  the 
early  5o's.  I  remember  very  well,  in  the  spring  of  '61,  seeing 
him  in  front  of  his  regiment  on  Franklin  Square  where  the 
ceremonies  of  guard  mounting  and  evening  parade  attracted 
multitudes  of  admiring  spectators,  among  whom  were  many 
regular  officers.  The  regiment  was,  indeed,  a  conspicuous  ex 
ample  for  the  volunteer  troops  then  gathering  at  the  National 
Capitol.  It  was  not  long  before  Butterfield  and  the  Twelfth 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  245 

came  under  the  notice  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott,  then  com 
manding  the  army,  and  Butterfield  was  given  prominent  rank  in 
the  regular  service. 

He  at  once  gained  distinction  in  the  Peninsular  Campaign, 
in  which  he  commanded  a  brigade;  afterwards,  as  a  division 
commander,  and  while  temporarily  in  command  of  the  5th 
Army  Corps,  he  won  fresh  honors.  As  Chief  of  Staff  in  the 
Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg  campaigns,  under  Hooker  and 
Meade,  he  developed  a  high  order  of  ability  in  handling  great 
armies,  as  well  in  the  movement  and  concentration  of  large 
columns  as  in  the  disposition  of  forces  for  battle. 

In  the  Gettysburg  Campaign,  after  Hooker  was  relieved, 
Butterfield  was  in  a  position  to  impart  to  General  Meade  all  of 
Hooker's  plans  of  campaign ;  in  so  doing  he  contributed  largely 
to  our  success  at  Gettysburg.  His  rapid  concentration  of  our 
widely  separated  columns  after  the  unforeseen  collision  of  Rey 
nolds  and  Ewell,  on  July  ist,  was  a  signal  display  of  logistics. 
I  have  never  met  his  superior  as  an  executive  officer,  always 
displaying  quickness  of  perception,  prompt  decision  and  ready 
facilities  for  action. 

His  last  exploit  under  my  own  eye  was  in  1892,  at  Gettys 
burg,  where,  upon  the  suggestion  of  my  colleague,  General 
Slocum,  Butterfield  was  chosen  to  improvise  an  organization  of 
some  ten  thousand  New  York  veterans,  who  were  assembled  to 
dedicate  a  monument  erected  by  the  State  to  commemorate  the 
services  of  its  troops  on  that  battlefield.  These  men  were 
brought  from  all  parts  of  the  State.  They  belonged  to  many 
distinct  regiments,  batteries,  brigades,  divisions  and  corps.  It 
was  necessary,  in  a  day,  to  put  them  in  shape  under  their  re 
spective  flags  and  organizations.  This  was  done  by  Butterfield 
with  marvelous  facility  and  dispatch,  so  that  when  he  moved 
from  the  village  to  the  field  at  the  head  of  his  column  the 
spectators  might  well  have  thought  that  it  was  an  army  march 
ing  to  battle. 

If  you  have  not  already  consulted  the  Records  of  the  Rebel 
lion,  published  by  the  War  Department,  you  will  find  in  those 
volumes  a  good  deal  about  Butterfield  that  would  interest  your 


246  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

readers.  For  example,  you  might  speak  of  the  admirable 
initiative  given  to  the  Chancellorsville  Campaign  by  throwing 
the  5th,  nth  and  I2th  Army  Corps  across  the  Rapidan  and 
Rappahannock  with  so  much  secrecy  and  celerity  that  the 
enemy's  pickets  were  surprised  and  captured,  thus  affording 
General  Hooker  a  chance  to  place  a  superior  force  on  General 
Lee's  communications  and  bottle  him  up  in  Fredericksburg. 
Unfortunately,  Hooker  did  not  profit  by  this  opportunity,  but 
shut  himself  up,  blindfolded,  in  the  Wilderness  forest,  an  easy 
prey  to  Lee's  enterprise  and  Jackson's  audacity. 

I  enclose  for  your  perusal,  if  you  have  not  seen  it,  a  copy  of 
Butterfield's  order  for  the  famous  movement  of  the  nth  and 
1 2th  Corps  from  Washington  to  Tennessee;  also  the  order  of 
President  Lincoln  directing  this  movement  and  placing  all  the 
resources  of  the  country  at  the  disposal  of  Hooker  for  the 
speedy  reinforcement  of  Thomas  at  Chattanooga. —  [Vide  Chap 
ter  IV,  pp.  135-6. — EDITOR.] 

Butterfield  was  detached  from  headquarters  in  the  Chancel 
lorsville  Campaign  for  a  couple  of  days  and  sent  to  Fredericks- 
burg  to  direct  the  operations  of  the  three  army  corps  under 
the  command  of  General  Sedgwick,  on  the  left  flank.  He 
manoeuvred  to  cross  the  river  and  assault  Fredericksburg, 
while  Hooker  was  operating  on  the  other  flank.  Butterfield 
remained  in  charge  until  Fredericksburg  was  occupied  by  Gen 
eral  Sedgwick,  and  until  after  the  repulse  of  his  advance  toward 
a  junction  with  Hooker  and  his  return  across  the  river  at 
Banks'  Ford.  Hooker  could  not  have  given  a  better  proof  of 
his  confidence  in  the  judgment  and  skill  of  his  Chief  of  Staff. 

At  Resaca  I  saw  Butterfield  directing  the  assault  made  by 
his  division  on  Johnson's  stronghold, — a  formidable  redoubt 
on  a  hill  commanding  the  enemy's  line  of  retreat,  covered  on 
each  flank  and  on  the  rear  by  a  large  body  of  troops  intrenched 
in  deep  rifle  pits.  Butterfield's  assault  was  successful,  but  the 
work  could  not  be  held  by  our  troops  against  the  concentrated 
fire  of  the  intrenched  enemy,  nor  would  we  permit  the  enemy 
to  return  to  the  redoubt,  which  remained  vacant  with  its  guns 
until  nightfall.  This  was  a  brilliant  feat  of  arms,  which  had 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  247 

been  unsuccessfully  essayed  by  other  divisions  representing  the 
armies  concentrated  under  Sherman's  command  in  his  Georgia 
Campaign. 

Towards  nine  o'clock  at  night,  while  dining  with  Hooker,  we 
heard  loud  cheers  outside  of  our  tent,  when  an  aide-de-camp 
reported  that  the  guns  from  the  redoubt  had  been  brought  up 
to  headquarters.  The  officer  in  charge  of  the  detachment 
came  in  and  told  us  that  after  dark  our  men,  who  were  resting 
on  their  arms  on  the  slope  of  the  hill,  had  dug  down  the  em 
brasures  with  their  bayonets  and  hands  until  they  could  bring 
out  the  guns  without  exposure  to  the  enemy's  fire,  when  they 
were  all  run  down  the  slope  and  brought  to  our  camp. 

I  shall  look  forward  to  your  volume  with  great  interest,  and 
shall  give  it  a  place  in  my  library  among  the  books  to  be  read 
often,  when  I  desire  to  revive  old  and  pleasant  memories. 
Very  sincerely  yours, 

D.  SICKLES,  Major-General,  U.  S.  A. 

GEN.  JAS.  GRANT  WILSON, 

15  East  74th  Street,  N.  Y.  City. 

PENNSYLVANIA  RAILROAD  TRAIN, 
DEAR  GENERAL  WILSON  :  March  12,  1904. 

Your  second  letter,  9th  inst,  is  just  at  hand,  and  I  gladly 
avail  myself  of  the  opportunity  to  write  you  a  few  sentences 
concerning  General  Daniel  Butterfield,  to  be  embraced  in  your 
contemplated  publication. 

My  first  acquaintance  with  Butterfield  was  when  he  was 
Colonel  of  the  Twelfth  New  York  Volunteers.  His  regiment 
had  a  handsome  uniform,  very  noticeable  to  all  who  passed  by 
Franklin  Square,  in  Washington,  D.  C,  where  it  was  encamped 
on  the  arrival  of  my  regiment  (Third  Maine),  on  the  first  of 
June,  1 86 1.  I  had  hardly  gone  into  camp,  near  Columbian  Col 
lege,  before  I  was  detailed  as  a  member  of  a  courtmartial. 
Butterfield  was  president  of  the  court,  and  conducted  it,  for 
several  days,  with  as  much  ease  and  ability  as  any  regular 
army  officer  could  have  done.  From  that  time  through  the 


248  GEXEEAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

war,  campaigns  and  battles  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
whether  as  commanding  troops  or  on  duty  at  headquarters  as 
Chief  of  Staff,  I  was  ever  more  or  less  closely  associated  with 
him.  One  thing  he  did,  and  that  very  early  in  our  field  experi 
ences  :  it  was  to  prepare  and  circulate  a  plan  of  outpost  duty. 
We  had  Mahan's  book,  but  there  was  a  great  need  of  some 
thing  that  would  adapt  itself  to  new  circumstances,  where  a 
large  army  was  forming  in  the  face  of  a  hostile  force.  Butter- 
field's  plan  was  simple,  easily  mastered  by  officers  and  men,  and 
very  effective  in  covering  our  large  frontage,  keeping  the  main 
body  in  comparative  safety.  I  do  not  wonder  that  his  circulars 
so  soon  eventuated  in  a  convenient  hand-book  for  the  use  of 
the  army.  I  am  assured  that  it  has  never  been  replaced  by  any 
other  author,  so  completely  did  he  cover  the  ground. 

I  saw  him  in  action,  commanding  a  Division  at  Resaca.  He 
was  cool  and  clear-headed,  and  fought  his  portion  of  the  line 
with  skill  and  persistency. 

Benjamin  Harrison,  then  Colonel,  commanding  a  Brigade 
(afterward  President),  was  under  Butterfield's  orders  in  that 
battle.  I  remember  seeing  Butterfield  also  in  action  in  our 
night  engagement  in  Lookout  Valley.  He  always  had  the 
same  quiet  bearing,  whatever  the  excitement  around  him,  and 
that  night  was  unusually  trying. 

General  Butterfield's  organizing  powers  were  remarkable. 
When  General  Slocum  and  myself  were  looking  for  an  officer 
to  marshal  the  immense  escort  at  General  Sherman's  funeral,  in 
New  York,  our  first  thought  fell  upon  Butterfield.  He  took 
up  the  work,  and  so  arranged  the  troops  as  they  came  to  the 
city,  both  the  Regulars  and  the  National  Guard,  that  there  was, 
from  start  to  finish,  a  perfect  order.  The  escort  started  at  the 
hour  designated,  and  there  was  no  halting  or  crowding  during 
the  long  march  from  General  Sherman's  house  to  the  New  Jer 
sey  crossing.  As  I  had  command  of  the  troops  that  day,  I  felt 
grateful  for  the  thoroughness  of  Butterfield's  work.  This  was 
an  example,  long  after  the  war,  of  the  qualities  which  made 
him  distinguished  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  that  strug 
gle.  As  Chief  of  Hooker's  Staff,  and  later,  of  Meade's,  at 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  249 

Gettysburg,  he  should  have  credit  for  organizing  and  reor 
ganizing  the  ever-changing  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

General  and  Mrs.  Butterfield  were  eminent  in  social  life.  I 
often  met  my  old  army  companions  at  their  entertainments,  and 
never  can  forget  the  hearty  welcome  which  was  extended  to 
myself  and  family  at  their  home.  This  brought  to  view  char 
acteristic  qualities  not  so  evident  amid  the  severities  and  dis 
cipline  of  campaigning. 

One  thing  more  which  I  observed,  was  very  much  to  General 
Butterfield's  credit.  It  was  the  interest  that  he  took  in  educa 
tional  matters.  Union  College,  where  he  graduated,  was  won 
derfully  helped  by  the  course  of  lectures  and  prize  exercises 
for  the  students,  which  he  established. 

Butterfield  was  one  of  the  efficient,  patriotic  spirits  who  acted 
well  his  part  in  the  preservation  of  the  Union,  and  who  after 
ward  did  what  he  could  to  develop  and  strengthen  the  high 
civic  qualities  and  patriotism  of  young  men. 

With  esteem,  I  remain, 

Very  truly  yours, 

OLIVER  O.  HOWARD, 
Major-General,  U.  S.  A.,  Retired. 


250 


ADDRESSES  AND  ARTICLES 

THE  FUNERAL  OF  DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

[Over  the  signature  of  "Sigma,"  this  account  of  Webster's  funeral, 
dated  Boston,  October  30,  1852,  was  written  in  the  form  of  a  letter  to  the 
"Daily  Gazette,"  of  Utica,  by  young  Butterfleld.  It  is  believed  to  be  his 
first  contribution  to  the  press.  About  this  time  he  abandoned  the  use  of 
his  middle  name,  Adams. — EDITOR.] 

In  order  to  reach  Marshfield  in  time,  we  had  left  Boston 
the  evening  before  the  day  of  the  funeral.  All  along  the  route 
every  house  was  filled  with  people  on  their  way  there.  We 
reached  Cohasset  (16  miles  from  Marshfield)  late  in  the  even 
ing.  Thanks  to  the  hospitality  and  kindness  of  the  Hon.  J.  B. 
Doane  and  family,  our  companions,  our  horses  and  all  were 
well  provided  for.  As  we  came  along  the  road,  wherever  we 
stopped,  wherever  we  met,  there  was  but  one  subject  of  con 
versation — sympathy  for  the  nation's  loss  was  a  common  bond 
amongst  all.  Many  a  tear  stole  down  the  cheek  of  the  rugged 
farmer;  and  many  a  mournful  sob  came  from  the  hearts  of  the 
wife  and  daughter,  as  the  neighbor  told  some  simple  incident 
to  himself  known,  of  the  noble  and  generous  nature  of  him 
who  was  looked  upon  by  the  young  as  a  father,  by  the  old  as  a 
brother  and  friend.  Often  did  he  go  amongst  his  simple 
neighbors  with  outstretched  hand  and  open  heart,  greeting 
them  with  an  honest  warmth  which  could  never  be  forgotten. 
How  much  they  loved  that  man.  On  the  occasion  of  his  last 
return  he  was  so  much  affected  by  the  unfeigned  and  simple 
affection  with  which  his  neighbors  and  friends  welcomed  him 
that  with  tears  in  his  eyes  he  turned  to  one  and  said,  "that  he 
should  not  absent  himself  from  them  much  hereafter,  he  should 
spend  more  of  his  time  there  in  future."  Alas!  he  has  left 
them,  though  nought  but  his  spirit  has  departed  from  his  much 
loved — his  beautiful  home. 

He  died — died  as  we  could  all  wish  to  die  beneath  the  shade 
of  the  trees  which  his  own  hands  had  planted,  amidst  the  beau 
ties  that  were  the  creation  of  his  own  taste.  But  more  than 
all  in  the  bosom  of  his  family,  amidst  the  prayers  of  his  loved 
wife,  children,  kinsmen  and  friends.  "Within  that  darkened 
chamber  at  Marshfield  was  witnessed  a  scene,  of  which  we  shall 
not  readily  find  a  parallel.  The  serenity  with  which  he  stood 
in  the  presence  of  the  King  of  Terrors,  without  trepidation  or 
flutter,  for  hours  and  days  of  expectation;  the  thoughtfulness 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD  251 

for  the  public  business,  when  the  sands  were  so  nearly  run 
out;  the  hospital  care  for  the  reception  of  the  friends  who 
came  to  Marshfield;  that  affectionate  and  solemn  leave  sepa 
rately  taken,  name  by  name,  of  wife,  and  children,  and  kin 
dred,  and  friends,  and  family  down  to  the  humblest  members 
of  the  household;  the  designation  of  the  coming  day  then  near 
at  hand,  when  'all  that  was  mortal  of  Daniel  Webster  would 
cease  to  exist!'  the  dimly  recollected  strains  of  the  funeral 
poetry  of  Gray,  last  faint  flash  of  the  soaring  intellect,  the 
clasped  hands,  the  dying  prayers.  A  consummation  over  which 
tears  of  pious  sympathy  will  be  shed,  ages  after  the  glories  of 
the  forum  and  the  Senate  are  forgotten."  We  arose  early  and 
pursued  our  journey. 

The  deep-rolling  thunder  of  the  minute  guns  from  afar,  with 
the  low,  soft  running  of  the  mighty  waters  on  that  lovely 
morning,  was  a  touching  and  appropriate  sympathy  with  the 
occasion.  Need  I  tell  you  it  found  a  sad,  silent  response  from 
within  my  soul.  As  we  passed  on  we  lost  sight  and  sound  of 
both.  On  the  route  all  places  of  business  were  closed.  The 
unusual  solemnity  everywhere  apparent  was  a  living,  striking 
proof  of  the  deep  sorrow  pervading  the  entire  country. 

As  we  neared  Marshfield  the  concourse  of  people  in  car 
riages  and  on  foot  was  the  largest  we  ever  saw,  but  all  moved 
on  quietly  and  solemnly.  We  left  our  horses  at  a  neighboring 
farmer's,  as  did  most  of  the  people  on  every  side,  and  pro 
ceeded  to  the  spot.  We  reached  the  gate  in  advance  of  our 
companions.  No  liveried  servant  guarded  its  entrance — but 
the  simple  knot  of  crape  told  us  what  we  already  knew,  alas! 
too  well.  The  silent  messenger  of  death  had  been  there. 

The  sight,  for  the  first  time  in  my  life,  and  upon  such  an 
occasion,  of  the  mansion  simple  and  lovely,  plain  but  most 
enchanting,  the  home  that  he  loved  so  fondly  and  so  well,  that 
his  taste  had  made  so  beautiful,  that  his  fame  had  made  ever 
memorable,  completely  overpowered  me.  I  was  lost — I  seemed 
as  it  were  in  a  reverie.  There  arose  before  me  that  manly 
form  in  all  its  commanding  dignity  and  grace,  that  brilliant 
dark  eye  seemed  flashing  with  most  unusual  brilliancy.  The 
soul-stirring  tones  of  that  eloquent  voice  seemed  ringing  in 
my  ears.  My  blood  chilled  through  my  veins  as  it  never  had 
before,  and  recalled  me  from  my  dreams. 

Alas!  we  shall  never  more  here  below  see  that  manly  form 

stand  erect.    The  lustre  of  that  eye  is  dimmed  and  gone we 

shall  never  more  hear  that  voice.    There  lay  before  me  all  that 
remained  to  earth  of  Daniel  Webster.    I  could  not  realize  that 


252  GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

the  spirit  had  fled  from  that  form — so  life-like — so  noble — so 
majestic;  it  was  the  silent  majesty  of  death.  I  passed  on — my 
eyes  were  filled  with  tears. 

The  coffin  was  placed  upon  a  simple  black  pall  upon  the 
lawn  in  front  of  the  house  beneath  the  softly  waving  branches 
of  a  large  and  magnificent  silver-leafed  poplar  tree.  The  full 
form  was  exposed,  dressed  in  his  favorite  suit  while  he  lived. 
The  blue  coat  and  white  cravat  and  rolling  collar;  upon  his 
breast  was  a  beautiful  wreath  of  oak  centered  with  pure  white 
flowers,  at  his  head  lay  the  myrtle  and  olive  entwined — most 
appropriate,  most  spiritual  emblem,  all  was  simple,  devoid  of 
pomp  and  show.  No  glistening  armor,  no  gorgeous  display, 
no  muffled  drum,  no  solemn  dirge,  no  military  pageant  was 
there.  'Twould  have  been  a  mockery.  That  dense  mass  of 
people,  who  moved  in  slow  and  silent  procession  for  four  long 
hours  beside  those  ashes,  came  not  to  witness  a  display.  The 
half-concealed  tear,  the  heaving  bosoms,  the  manly  but  ap 
parent  sorrow,  told  its  own  tale.  They  came  to  drop  a  silent 
tear  at  the  grave  of  him  who  never  faltered,  never  changed,  in 
his  love,  his  devotion  to  his  country  and  his  people. 

The  village  minister,  who  had  always  preached  to  the  great 
statesman  while  at  home,  came  forth  near  the  door  of  the  first 
hall,  and  after  reading  a  few  appropriate  passages  from  the 
Scriptures,  made  a  few  remarks:  "Leaving  the  public  life  of 
the  great  man  to  others,  it  was  no  sacrilege  to  unveil  the  inner 
sanctuary  of  his  life.  He  could  not  look  on  this  mighty  system, 

'This  universal  frame,  thus  wondrous  fair,' 

without  feeling  that  it  was  created  and  upheld  by  an  intelli 
gence  to  which  all  other  intelligences  must  be  responsible.  I 
am  bound  to  say  that  in  the  course  of  my  life  I  never  met  with 
an  individual,  in  any  profession  or  condition  of  life,  who  always 
spoke  and  always  thought  with  such  awful  reverence  of  the 
power  and  presence  of  God.  No  irreverence,  no  lightness, 
even  no  too  familiar  allusion  to  God  and  his  attributes,  ever 
escaped  his  lips.  The  very  notion  of  a  Supreme  Being  was, 
with  him,  made  up  with  awe  and  solemnity.  It  filled  the  whole 
of  his  great  mind  with  the  strongest  emotions.  Mr.  Webster's 
religious  sentiments  and  feelings  were  the  crowning  glories  of 
his  character."  All  went  away  convinced  that  Daniel  Webster 
had  lived  and  died  a  pure  and  upright  Christian. 

A  short  prayer  closed  the  exercises  at  the  house.  The 
coffin  was  closed.  The  procession  moved  from  the  lawn 
through  the  lane  by  which  he  had  entered,  around  to  the  family 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  253 

tomb.  The  coffin  was  placed  upon  a  plain  open  vehicle  drawn 
by  two  black  horses  harnessed  in  the  simplest  manner.  It 
needed  no  gaudy  trapping  to  rivet  the  eyes  of  the  thousand 
spectators.  All  that  was  left  of  him  they  loved  was  passing 
to  the  final  resting-place.  No  far-famed  or  honored  statesman 
or  councillors  carried  that  simple  pall.  'Twas  a  beautiful  idea, 
a  sublime  spectacle,  to  see  the  ashes  of  that  man  born  to  the 
grave  as  the  humblest  of  earth  by  the  hands  of  his  honest 
neighbors,  who  had  always  known,  always  loved  him,  followed 
by  thousands  upon  thousands.  There  were  Everett,  Choate, 
Winthrop,  Marcy,  Pierce,  Ashmun,  Sprague,  Lawrence,  Chief 
Justice  Jones,  and  a  hundred  others  of  equal  renown,  followers 
to  the  tomb,  but  all  dignity,  all  station,  all  renown,  was  laid 
aside;  Death  had  taken  from  them  him  whom  all,  from  high 
to  low,  looked  up  to  as  their  superior  of  earth  he  was,  but  most 
Godlike. 

Over  the  tomb  was  the  simple  inscription, 

"DANIEL  WEBSTER." 

The  officiating  clergyman  made  a  short  prayer,  the  cere 
monies  were  ended.  I  took  one  last  lingering  look,  and  turned 
away  from  a  scene  never  to  be  forgotten.  A  tear  stole  clown 
my  cheek,  burning  with  the  blush  of  shame  for  the  ingratitude 
of  my  countrymen — that  he  had  thus  gone  from  us,  a  successor 
and  a  peer  to  the  father  of  his  country,  in  all  things  save  that 
paltry  honor  which  we  were  too  low,  too  base  to  offer  him. 

"He  was  not  for  an  age,  but  for  all  time." 

ORATION  AT  COLD  SPRING,  N.  Y.,  JULY  4,  1885. 

General  Butterfield  has  been  favorably  known  to  our  citizens 
for  over  twenty  years,  as  a  quiet  gentleman,  the  constant  visi 
tor  and  intimate  and  close  friend  of  one  of  our  most  esteemed 
citizens,  Mr.  F.  P.  James,  who  has  passed  from  our  midst,  but 
none  of  us  knew  him  as  an  orator.  We  knew  his  splendid 
record  as  a  soldier  for  nine  years  in  the  army,  but  had  entirely 
forgotten  his  qualities  as  a  public  speaker.  We  have  no  record 
of  him  in  such  a  capacity  since  his  eloquent  presentation  of  the 
flags  of  the  returning  regiments  of  the  State  to  the  Governor, 
at  Albany,  in  1865,  for  which  duty  he  was  selected  as  a  just  and 
deserved  compliment  to  his  war  record.  All  invitations  to 
speak  in  public  since  that  time  have  been  declined  by  him,  as 
we  learn,  by  reason  of  bronchial  troubles.  It  was  a  gratifying 
incident  of  our  splendid  Fourth  of  July  celebration  to  see  and 


254  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

hear  this  gentleman,  who  combined  the  hero,  the  soldier,  the 
orator  and  the  poet,  gracefully  and  tastefully. 

Casting  aside  his  notes  he  warmed  up  as  he  proceeded  to  his 
theme.  Opening  with  a  reference  to  the  Declaration  of  In 
dependence,  which  had  been  read,  he  took  from  it  the  sentence 
where  the  signers  appealed  to  heaven  to  be  a  witness  to  the 
"rectitude  of  their  intentions,"  and  took  for  his  text  "The 
Right."  The  oration  was  in  part  a  common  sense  appeal  to  his 
hearers  to  do  right  under  all  and  every  circumstance,  and  a 
warning  that  when  the  right  failed,  and  the  people  departed 
from  the  right,  then  came  the  beginning  of  the  end  of  our  gov 
ernment.  There  were  local  topics,  historical  and  poetic,  per 
taining  to  Revolutionary  scenes  and  incidents,  classical  allu 
sions,  eloquent  and  studied,  illustrative  of  the  general  outline 
and  theme  of  the  orator. 

As  the  notes  were  departed  from  entirely,  we  are  unable  to 
give  more  than  a  brief  outline,  with  some  extracts  which  were 
noted  down. 

A  just  and  proper  tribute  was  paid  by  the  orator  to  the 
prayer  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Williams,  and  to  the  reading  of  the 
Declaration  by  Judge  Wood.  The  emblematic  representation 
of  the  thirteen  States,  by  our  beautiful  young  ladies,  received  a 
deserved  and  happy  compliment.  Allusion  was  made  to  the 
patriotism,  devotion  and  ability  of  the  great  men  of  the  Revolu 
tion,  naming  them  and  classing  them  all  as  thorough  gentlemen, 
possessed  not  only  of  research  and  learning,  but  culture.  In 
speaking  of  great  and  glorious  feats  of  arms,  and  the  rivalry 
of  glory  in  such,  the  orator  spoke  of  Lexington  and  Bunker 
Hill,  Thermopylae,  the  charge  at  Balaklava  of  the  Light  Bri 
gade,  the  assault  of  the  Virginians  under  Pickett,  at  Gettys 
burg,  the  charge  of  the  hot-blooded  men  under  Magruder,  at 
Malvern  Hill,  where  Warren  (our  own  Warren,  of  Cold 
Spring)  stood  side  by  side  with  the  speaker  in  repelling  it,  the 
storming  of  Mission  Ridge  under  Sheridan,  Terry's  attack  at 
Fort  Fisher,  the  assaults  of  the  2d  Corps  under  Hancock,  and 
5th  Corps*  at  Fredericksburg,  and  of  the  speaker's  division  at 
Resaca,  as  feats  of  arms  and  glory  which  any  race  and  any 
nation  might  be  proud  of.  The  defenders  none  the  less  valiant. 
In  speaking  of  the  assault  and  capture  of  artillery  at  Resaca, 
Ga.,  the  General  said :  "I  do  not  speak  of  this  because  I  per 
sonally  commanded,  but  as  an  act  of  simple  justice  to  the 
memory  of  brave  men,  both  those  who  fell  by  hundreds  and 

*Note. — The  5th  Corps  was  commanded  by  General  Butterfield,  at  Fred 
ericksburg,  in  the  second  assault  on  Marye's  Heights.  The  first  as 
sault  was  by  General  Hancock. 


GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  255 

those  who  survived  in  a  glorious  feat  of  honor  and  bravery, 
whose  gallant  courage  and  devotion  has  hitherto  failed  to  re 
ceive  recognition  from  those  who  should  have  given  it. 

"The  nation  existed  only  by  the  simple  natural  law  of  prin 
ciple  for  which  the  war  was  made,  viz.,  'The  Right.'  The  his 
tory  of  the  experiences  of  the  governments  that  have  lived  and 
died  tell  us  but  one  thing :  That  all  human  efforts  based  upon 
selfishness,  acquisition,  control  of  property  and  upon  the  ac 
quirement  of  money,  fail.  Whenever,  in  the  history  of  our 
country,  selfishness  predominates  and  overrules,  and  the  ideas 
and  workings  that  would  lead  to  the  promotion  of  the  general 
good  of  the  mass  of  the  people  fail,  from  that  moment  and  at 
that  moment,  is  recorded  the  failure  of  our  country.  When 
great  corporations  and  rich  people  can  override  and  overrule  the 
common  good,  by  whatever  means  or  whatever  ways,  and  the 
spirit  which  animated  the  men  who  fought  the  battles  and  made 
the  sacrifices  (with  reminiscences  of  which  your  locality  is  so 
full  and  so  historic),  has  gone,  is  dead,  then  comes  the  begin 
ning  of  the  end  of  your  great  country. 

"When  truth,  honesty,  fidelity,  and  devotion  to  that  which  is 
right,  to  that  which  is  true,  no  longer  holds  sway  among  men, 
and  is  sacrificed  for  that  which  would  promote  selfishness, 
present  comfort,  present  ease,  then  the  work,  the  discomforts, 
the  patience,  the  patriotism  of  the  men  who  forged  the  chain 
that  crossed  the  river  almost  within  sound  of  my  voice,  the 
men  who  built  Fort  Constitution  and  Fort  Putnam,  the  stalwart 
oarsmen  who  pulled  Washington  across  the  river  to  watch  their 
work  while  he  drank  from  your  Cold  Spring,  the  men  who  cap 
tured  Andre  the  spy,  the  sacrifices  made  by  the  love  and 
strength  and  endurance  of  the  women  who  saw  husbands, 
fathers  and  brothers  laid  under  the  sod  in  efforts  to  carry  out 
and  defend  and  protect  the  principles  which  gave  you  what  you 
have  to-day — free  government,  the  right  to  govern  yourselves 
—in  that  moment  when  that  fails,  all  these  are  lost. 

"Remember,  then,  that  the  right  is  our  safeguard,  our 
strength.  When  we  leave  it  and  lose  sight  of  it,  ruin  follows. 
Remember  this,  please,  you  younger  men  who  have  the  struggle 
of  the  future  to  meet,  which  will  be  vast  in  its  proportions. 
Adhere  to  the  right,  pray  and  seek  for  it  with  truth  and  sin 
cerity,  and  as  God  and  your  nature  and  instincts  give  it  you, 
and  reveal  it  to  you ;  stand  by  it,  fight  for  it,  and  die  for  it  if 
need  be.  Follow  this,  and  all  will  be  well ;  depart  from  it,  and 
your  powers,  your  liberties,  your  glory,  your  strength  and  your 
nationality  will  fall  as  suddenly,  as  certainly,  as  absolutely  as 


256  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

the  head  at  Saladin's  feast  rolled  from  the  trunk,  with  no 
power  of  restoration. 

"With  this  feeling  for  the  right  it  would  be  an  injustice  to 
pass  over  without  recognition  and  acknowledgment,  the  virtues, 
the  heroism,  love  and  patriotism  of  the  women  of  the  Revolu 
tion,  and  the  brave,  noble,  self-sacrificing  women  of  our  race, 
who,  throughout  our  existence  as  a  nation,  have  never  failed 
in  their  constancy  and  fidelity  and  devotion  to  duty,  their  coun 
try  and  the  right. 

"It  is  for  you,  young  men  of  to-day,  to  study  the  future,  and 
to  see  how  and  why  the  ways  and  means  are  to  come  about  that 
shall  reconcile  great  communities  to  submit  to  the  popular 
judgment  and  will,  and  how  the  great  cities  of  the  East  shall 
be  governed  by  the  tillers  of  the  soil.  It  is  a  new  problem. 
New  York,  Boston  and  Philadelphia  to-day  are  governed  by, 
and  are  suburbs  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  Perhaps  you  do 
not  realize  it ;  you  will  in  the  future." 

The  orator  was  eloquent,  fervid  and  impressive,  and  carried  his 
audience  breathlessly  with  him,  save  now  and  then  when  cheers 
upon  cheers  broke  in  as  the  sentiments  and  expressions  met 
warm  responsive  echoes  from  the  people.  He  cited  the  romance 
of  the  sublime  and  earnest  faith  of  the  Children  of  Israel  in  the 
restoration  of  Jerusalem  and  its  glories,  and  the  coming  of  the 
Redeemer,  and  urged  his  hearers  to  "cling  with  a  faith  not  less 
earnest  and  sincere,  to  the  right,  the  basis  of  manhood.  Wrong 
neither  man,  woman  nor  child.  Keep  the  foremost  place  as 
the  true  Knickerbocker  gentleman  has  it  to-day,  always  giving 
right,  justice  and  protection  to  the  weak  and  unprotected ; 
faith,  honor,  trust  and  love  to  wives,  mothers,  sweethearts  and 
sisters ;  and  the  present  reality  of  our  romance  shall  warm  the 
heart-springs  eternally,  and  our  name  and  race  live  as  long  as 
'Storm  King'  shall  stand  to  look  down  upon  us. 

"Look  at  your  mountains  rising  against  the  sky,  your  sun 
sets  behind  them  sending  the  tapering  shadows  of  green  trees 
far  aslant  the  shadowed  valleys  below.  Then  go  back  to  the 
scenes  that  occurred  when  Washington  crossed  from  West 
Point  and  sat  beneath  the  spreading  branches  of  the  oak  tree, 
at  the  spring  upon  the  bank  of  the  river,  which  gave  the  name 
to  your  village.  The  oak  tree  has  gone,  the  river  bank  has  been 
filled  in,  your  main  street  runs  over  where  the  hero  came  in  his 
boat.  The  railway  train  rushes  madly  by,  and  the  wooden 
pump  covers  the  spring  in  the  rear  of  your  railway  station. 
But  let  not  the  historic  memories,  sentiments,  thoughts,  and 
occurrences  be  lost  to  you  or  to  your  children. 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  257 

"The  beacon  lights  that  flashed  in  the  surrounding  moun 
tains,  told  the  triumph  of  some  hard-won  victory.  These  com 
manding  hills  were  made  points  of  defense,  and  West  Point  a 
fortification,  now  a  cradle  of  heroes.  Upon  the  very  ground 
on  which  we  stand  the  French  troops  were  encamped.  I  hold 
in  my  hand  a  staple  that  held  the  chain  that  crossed  the  river 
to  prevent  the  British  fleet  from  passing  up  the  Hudson. 
Everything  that  surrounds  you  should  be  near  and  dear  to  every 
patriotic  heart.  The  very  stones  of  your  streets,  the  leaves  and 
trees  of  these  grounds  should  find  a  voice  to  swell  the  anthems 
of  thoughtful  praise  for  those  glorious  days.  It  is  fitting  that 
you,  who  so  proudly  call  this  place  your  home,  should  plume 
yourselves  upon  the  honors  you  bear  of  those  stormy  times, 
when  every  citizen  was  a  soldier,  and  the  cannon  and  the  sword 
took  the  place  of  the  pruning-hook  and  the  ploughshare. 

"As  we  read  and  recall  the  touching  stories  of  the  half-clad, 
sore-footed  bands  of  patriots,  illy  fed,  indeed,  but  with  hearts 
of  steel,  marching  to  meet  a  foe  superior  in  numbers,  well  clad 
and  sleek  withal,  who  can  doubt  that  the  God  of  Abraham, 
the  God  of  Jacob,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  battles 
stood  with  the  scales  of  right  and  justice  weighing  down  to  the 
side  of  the  patriot,  to  the  side  of  the  right?" 

The  Right,  'tis  power;   'tis   strength,  the  right. 

Is  ever  just,  is  ever  true. 
Defend  it,  then,  with  all  your  might, 

Yielding  to  all  their  place  and  due. 
God  loves  the  man  who  loves  the  right; 
Angels  crown  him  with  starry  light. 

Then  courage  hard, 

Its  emblem  guard, 

Our  country's  flag. 
Its  graceful  lines  shall  ever  tell 

How  staunch  and  true,  our  hero  braves 
Fought,  bled,  and  dying  fell. 

To  plant  it  o'er  their  graves. 

COUNCIL  OF  WAR  AT  GETTYSBURG  ON  THE 
SECOND  DAY. 

BY  GENERAL  JOHN  GIBBON. 

Soon  after  all  firing  had  ceased  a  staff  officer  from  army 
headquarters  met  General  Hancock  and  myself  and  summoned 
us  both  to  General  Meade's  headquarters,  where  a  council  was 


258  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

to  be  held.  We  at  once  proceeded  there,  and  soon  after  our 
arrival  all  the  corps  commanders  were  assembled  in  the  little 
front  room  of  the  Liester  House — Newton,  who  had  been  as 
signed  to  the  command  of  the  First  Corps  over  Doubleday,  his 
senior;  Hancock,  Second;  Birney,  Third;  Sykes,  Fifth;  Sedg- 
wick,  who  had  arrived  during  the  day  with  the  Sixth,  after  a 
long  march  from  Manchester ;  Howard,  Eleventh,  and  Slocum, 
Twelfth,  besides  General  Meade,  General  Butterfield,  Chief  of 
Staff;  Warren,  Chief  of  Engineers;  A.  S.  Williams,  Twelfth 
Corps,  and  myself,  Second.  It  will  be  seen  that  two  corps  were 
doubly  represented,  the  Second  by  Hancock  and  myself,  and  the 
Twelfth  by  Slocum  and  Williams.  These  twelve  were  all 
assembled  in  a  little  room  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve  feet 
square,  with  a  bed  in  one  corner,  a  small  table  on  one  side,  and 
a  chair  or  two.  Of  course  all  could  not  sit  down ;  some  did, 
some  lounged  on  the  bed,  and  some  stood  up,  while  Warren, 
tired  out  and  suffering  from  a  wound  in  the  neck,  where  a  piece 
of  shell  had  struck  him,  lay  down  in  the  corner  of  the  room  and 
went  sound  asleep,  and  I  don't  think  heard  any  of  the  pro 
ceedings. 

The  discussion  was  at  first  very  informal  and  in  the  shape 
of  conversation,  during  which  each  one  made  comments  on  the 
fight  and  told  what  he  knew  of  the  condition  of  affairs.  In  the 
course  of  this  discussion  Newton  expressed  the  opinion  that 
"this  was  no  place  to  fight  a  battle  in."  General  Newton  was 
an  officer  of  engineers  (since  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Army), 
and  was  rated  by  me,  and  I  suppose  most  others,  very  highly  as 
a  soldier.  The  assertion,  therefore,  coming  from  such  a  source, 
rather  startled  me,  and  I  eagerly  asked  what  his  objections  to 
the  position  were.  The  objections  he  stated,  as  I  recollect 
them,  related  to  some  minor  details  of  the  line,  of  which  I  knew 
nothing,  except  so  far  as  my  own  front  was  concerned,  and 
with  those  I  was  satisfied ;  but  the  prevailing  impression  seemed 
to  be  that  the  place  for  the  battle  had  been,  in  a  measure,  se 
lected  for  us.  Here  we  are;  now  what  is  the  best  thing  to  do? 
It  soon  became  evident  that  everybody  was  in  favor  of  remain 
ing  where  we  were  and  giving  battle  there.  General  Meade 
himself  said  very  little,  except  now  and  then  to  make  some 
comment,  but  I  cannot  recall  that  he  expressed  any  decided 
opinion  upon  any  point,  preferring  apparently  to  listen  to  the 
conversation.  After  the  discussion  had  lasted  some  time, 
Butterfield  suggested  that  it  would,  perhaps,  be  well  to  formu 
late  the  question  to  be  asked,  and  General  Meade  assenting  he 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  259 

took  a  piece  of  paper,  on  which  he  had  been  making  some 
memoranda,  and  wrote  down  a  question ;  when  he  had  done  he 
read  it  off  and  formally  proposed  it  to  the  council. 

I  had  never  been  a  member  of  a  council  of  war  before  (nor 
have  I  been  since)  and  did  not  feel  very  confident  I  was  prop 
erly  a  member  of  this  one ;  but  I  had  engaged  in  the  discussion, 
and  found  myself  (Warren  being  asleep)  the  junior  member  in 
it.  By  the  custom  of  war  the  junior  member  votes  first,  as  on 
courts-martial;  and  when  Butterfield  read  off  his  question,  the 
substance  of  which  was,  "Should  the  army  remain  in  its  pres 
ent  position  or  take  up  some  other?"  he  addressed  himself  first 
to  me  for  an  answer.  To  say  "Stay  and  fight"  was  to  ignore 
the  objections  made  by  General  Newton,  and  I  therefore  an 
swered  somewhat  in  this  way :  "Remain  here,  and  make  such 
correction  in  our  position  as  may  be  deemed  necessary,  but  take 
no  step  which  even  looks  like  retreat."  The  question  was  put 
to  each  member  and  his  answer  taken  down,  and  when  it  came 
to  Newton,  who  was  the  first  in  rank,  he  voted  in  pretty  much 
the  same  way  as  I  did,  and  we  had  some  playful  sparring  as 
to  whether  he  agreed  with  me  or  I  with  him,  and  all  the  rest 
voted  to  remain. 

The  next  question  written  by  Butterfield  was,  "Should  the 
army  attack  or  wait  the  attack  of  the  enemy?"  I  voted  not  to 
attack,  and  all  the  others  voted  substantially  the  same  way ;  and 
on  the  third  question,  "How  long  shall  we  wait?"  I  voted,  "Un 
til  Lee  moved."  The  answers  to  this  last  question  showed  the 
only  material  variation  in  the  opinion  of  the  members. 

When  the  voting  was  over  General  Meade  said,  quietly,  but 
decidedly,  "Such  then  is  the  decision";  and  certainly  he  said 
nothing  which  produced  a  doubt  in  my  mind  as  to  his  being 
perfectly  in  accord  with  the  members  of  the  council. 

In  1881  (eighteen  years  after  the  battle),  I  was  shown  in 
Philadelphia,  by  General  Meade's  son,  a  paper  found  among 
General  Meade's  effects  after  his  death.  It  was  folded  and  on 
the  outside  of  one  end  was  written,  in  his  well-known  hand 
writing,  in  ink,  "Minutes  of  Council,  July  2,  '63."  On  opening 
it,  the  following  was  found  written  in  pencil  in  a  handwriting 
unknown  to  me : 

"Minutes  of  Council,  July  2,  1863.     Questions  asked: 

"1.  Under  existing  circumstances  is  it  advisable  for  this  army  to  re 
main  in  its  present  position  or  to  retire  to  another  nearer  its  base  of 
supplies? 

"2.  It  being  determined  to  remain  in  present  position,  shall  the  army 
attack  or  wait  the  attack  of  the  enemy? 

"3.  If  we  wait  attack,  how  long? 


260  GENEKAL   DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD 

REPLIES: 
Gibbon:         1.  Correct  position  of  army,  but  not  retreat. 

2.  In  no  condition  to  attack,  in  his  opinion. 

3.  Until  he  moves. 
Williams:     1.  Stay. 

2.  Wait  attack. 

3.  One  day. 

Birney:  Same  as  General  Williams. 

Sykes:  Same  as  General  Williams. 

Newton:        1.  Correct  position  of  the  army,  but  would  not  retreat. 

2.  By  all  means  not  attack. 

3.  If  we  wait  it  will  give  them  a  chance  to  cut  our  line. 
Howard:        1.  Remain. 

2.  Wait  attack  until  4  p.  m.  to-morrow. 

3.  If  don't  attack,  attack  them. 

Hancock:      1.  Rectify  position  without  moving  so  as  to  give  up  field. 

2.  Not  attack  unless  our  communications  are  cut. 

3.  Can't  wait  long;  can't  be  idle.       Sedgwick:     1:  Remain. 

2.  Wait  attack. 

3.  At  least  one  day. 
Slocum:             Stay  and  fight  it  out. 

"Newton  thinks  it  a  bad  position;  Hancock  puzzled  about  practicabil 
ity  of  retiring;  thinks  by  holding  on  (illegible)  to  mass  forces  and  attack; 
Howard  favor  of  not  retiring;  Birney  don't  know;  Third  Corps  used  up 
and  not  in  good  condition  to  fight;  Sedgwick  (illegible);  effective  strength 
about  9,000,  12,500,  9,000,  6,000,  8,500,  6,000,  7,000.  Total,  58,000.  "D.  B." 

The  memoranda  at  the  bottom  of  the  paper  [signed  by  the 
initials  of  General  Daniel  Butterfield]  were  doubtless  made 
while  the  discussion  was  going  on,  and  the  numbers  at  the  foot 
refer  probably  to  the  effective  strength  of  each  corps. 

Several  times  during  the  sitting  of  the  council  reports  were 
brought  to  General  Meade,  and  now  and  then  we  could  hear 
heavy  firing  going  on  over  on  the  right  of  our  line.  I  took 
occasion  before  leaving  to  say  to  General  Meade  that  his  staff 
officer  had  regularly  summoned  me  as  a  corps  commander  to 
the  council,  although  I  had  some  doubts  about  being  present. 
He  answered,  pleasantly,  "That  is  all  right.  I  wanted  you 
here." 

Before  I  left  the  house  Meade  made  a  remark  to  me  which 
surprised  me  a  good  deal,  especially  when  I  look  back  upon  the 
occurrence  of  the  next  day.  By  a  reference  to  the  votes  in 
council  it  will  be  seen  that  the  majority  of  the  members  were 
in  favor  of  acting  on  the  defensive  and  awaiting  the  action  of 
Lee.  In  referring  to  the  matter,  just  as  the  council  broke  up, 
Meade  said  to  me,  "If  Lee  attacks  to-morrow,  it  will  be  in  your 
front."  I  asked  him  why  he  thought  so,  and  he  replied,  "Be- 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  261 

cause  he  has  made  attacks  on  both  our  flanks  and  failed,  and  if 
he  concludes  to  try  it  again  it  will  be  on  our  center."  I  ex 
pressed  the  hope  that  he  would,  and  told  General  Meade,  with 
confidence,  that  if  he  did  we  would  defeat  him. 

TWENTY-EIGHT  YEARS  AFTER. 

[This  interesting  article  written  by  the  Comte  de  Paris  the  year  after 
his  second  visit  to  the  United  States,  is  reprinted  from  a  revised  proof, 
which  arrived  too  late  for  his  corrections  to  appear  in  the  North  Amer 
ican  Review,  and  was  fortunately  preserved  by  a  friend. — EDITOR.] 

A  remarkable  engraving  called  "The  Midnight  Review"  is 
very  popular  in  France  and  may  be  known  in  America.  It 
represents  innumerable  lines  of  phantom  warriors  mustering 
through  the  moonlit  clouds  to  march  past  before  the  ghost  of 
Napoleon,  under  whose  leadership  each  of  them  had  met  a 
soldier's  death. 

This  weird  scene  had  made  a  deep  impression  on  my  mind 
when  I  was  a  child,  and  its  remembrance  suddenly  flashed 
upon  me  when  I  entered  some  weeks  ago  the  great  National 
Cemetery  of  Gettysburg,  over  whose  peaceful  graves  presides 
the  bronze  statue  of  the  gallant  Reynolds.  My  imagination 
first  retraced  to  me  the  real  midnight  scene  which  the  then 
small  cemetery  of  Gettysburg  witnessed  on  the  historical  night 
of  July  ist,  1863,  when  the  illustrious  General  Meade,  hasten 
ing  to  grasp  with  a  firm  hand  the  command  of  the  army  so 
recently  entrusted  to  him.,  set  his  foot  on  that  key-position 
where  his  weary  soldiers,  sleeping  among  the  citizen's  tombs, 
seemed,  under  the  pure  rays  of  the  moon,  as  so  many  statues 
recording  the  memory  of  the  departed. 

How  many  among  those  young  and  healthy  men  slept  that 
night  for  the  last  time  and  now  rest  forever  in  the  long  rows 
of  white  stones;  drawn  like  regiments  on  the  parade  ground, 
with  their  officers  in  front,  which  extend  all  over  the  hallowed 
ground,  and  whose  martial  order  cannot  fail  to  strike  every 
visitor's  mind. 

It  required,  indeed,  a  small  effort  of  imagination  to  conceive 
another  midnight  scene,  where,  under  the  call  of  some  mys 
terious  power,  in  the  stillness  and  dubious  light  of  that  hour, 
the  form  of  every  dead  soldier  would  grow  out  of  the  small 
marble  slabs  to  form  a  powerful  array  on  the  ground  where 
they  had  generously  given  up  their  life  to  save  their  country 
in  the  most  critical  moment  of  its  history. 

However,  this  is  perhaps  too  pagan  a  thought  for  a  Chris 
tian  cemetery,  where  the  memory  of  the  dead  is  honored  by 


262  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

words  of  peace  and  hope,  and  not  of  vengeance  and  retaliation. 
As  General  Howard  so  eloquently  said  on  that  same  evening  at 
the  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Gettysburg,  the  watchword  must 
there  be  "Charity  for  all."  It  is  only  a  feverish  brain  which 
could  in  its  dream  call  the  spirits  of  the  Confederate  soldiers 
out  of  their  scattered  tombs  to  lead  them  in  the  darkness  of 
midnight  hour  to  the  assault  of  those  heights  which  were 
soaked  with  their  blood  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago.  And 
taking  this  view  I  must  confess  that  I  regretted  to  see  our 
late  enemies'  remains  excluded  from  the  ground  dedicated  by 
a  reunited  people  to  the  memory  of  the  victims  of  the  war  and 
where  every  one  bows  before  the  emblem  of  our  common  Re 
deemer.  I  felt  this  regret  more  keenly  when  some  days  later 
I  saw  in  Quebec  the  common  monument  erected  by  the  British 
nation  to  the  memory  of  the  two  valiant  soldiers,  Wolfe  and 
Montcalm — a  great  example  of  impartiality  before  the  equality 
in  deaths  and  glory! 

But  why  evoke  the  dead  while  in  broad  daylight  I  could  be 
hold  a  more  extraordinary  sight,  in  an  historical  point  of  view, 
than  the  midnight  rev^e^vf  To  the  call  of  General  Butterfield, 
Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  that  decisive 
battle,  had  answered  nearly  all  the  surviving  chiefs  who  were 
the  principal  actors  in  this  great  drama.  Instead  of  the  phan 
tom  legions  marching  in  an  unearthly  silence,  I  had  around 
me  all  the  living  leaders  whose  names  will  always  be  asso 
ciated  with  the  history  of  the  battle  of  Getysburg.  It  was,  in 
deed  a  high  compliment  which  they  paid  to  a  true  friend  of 
their  country,  who,  after  having  served  with  them  in  the  same 
army,  had  undertaken  to  write  an  impartial  account  of  the 
great  struggle.  This  compliment  I  once  more  gratefully 
acknowledge. 

The  citizens  of  Gettysburg  were  right  to  appreciate  the  re 
markable  character  of  the  visit,  which  took  place  on  the  I5th 
of  October,  for  I  believe  that  there  is  not  one  of  the  innumer 
able  battlefields  of  old  Europe  which  has  been  revisited  by 
such  a  number  of  the  leaders  of  the  victorious  army  assembled 
on  the  same  day  to  go  together  on  the  historical  ground  and 
combine  their  remembrances  of  a  quarter  of  a  century  past,  to 
enrich,  if  I  can  say  so,  their  common  fund  of  information. 

I  understand  that  each  of  them  has  promised  to  give  his  per 
sonal  impressions  on  that  visit.  Nothing  could  be  more  in 
teresting  for  the  student  of  history  and  the  military  critic.  In 
company  with  such  high  authorities  I  cannot  presume  to  add  to 
their  statements  anything  which  would  be  of  interest  for  the 


GEXERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  263 

one  or  the  other.  Moreover,  if  the  impressions  of  a  European 
officer  may  be  of  some  value  to  the  readers  of  this  article,  I 
shall  yield  the  pen  to  my  friend  and  companion,  Colonel  de 
Parseval,  who  has  already  recorded  these  impressions  in  a 
French  military  paper  where  they  have  been  duly  appreciated. 

However,  this  I  can  say:  That  having  minutely  described 
the  field  of  battle  and  mastered,  1  believe,  all  the  operations 
which  were  conducted  upon  it,  without  having  seen  the  ground, 
I  was  very  anxious  to  know  whether  the  personal  inspection 
of  this  ground  would  correspond  or  not  with  the  ideas  I  had 
formed  by  the  study  of  the  maps.  That  my  expectation  was 
fully  realized  speaks  volumes  in  favor  of  the  accuracy  of  those 
maps.  I  confess  that  only  by  a  very  natural  process  of  the 
mind  I  had  imagined  that  every  inequality  of  the  ground,  ex 
cept,  perhaps,  the  bold  profiles  of  the  Round  Tops  and  Gulp's 
Hills,  was  more  marked  than  I  found  to  be  in  reality. 

It  was  only  w7hen  we  were  crammed  on  the  platform  of  the 
belfry  of  the  theological  seminary  that  I  clearly  understood 
the  strength  and  importance  of  the  ridge  to  which  this  build 
ing  gives  its  name.  From  there  also  it  was  easy  to  recognize 
the  natural  weakness  of  the  position  in  which  the  Eleventh 
Corps  had  to  support  the  brunt  of  Swell's  attacks.  That  the 
whole  line  occupied,  in  the  afternoon  of  the  ist  of  July,  by  the 
two  Federal  corps  d'armes  was  bound  to  crumble  to  pieces  as 
soon  as  it  would  be  strongly  assailed  from  the  north  and 
northeast  was  so  evident  that  any  discussion  upon  the  connec 
tion  between  these  two  corps  seemed  to  be  quite  out  of  order : 
a  happy  result,  for  the  narrow  platform  was  no  place  to  debate 
upon  such  a  burning  question. 

In  the  afternoon  our  drive  took  us  first  to  Gulp's  Hill,  the 
rugged  ground  of  which  must  be  seen  to  understand  the  nature 
of  the  bloody  fight  which  took  place  on  its  eastern  slope.  But 
to  realize  fully  its  importance  for  the  defense  of  the  Federal 
lines,  it  is  necessary  at  the  same  time  to  look  a  moment  west 
ward  so  as  to  see  how  near  it  lies  to  the  part  of  those  lines 
which  occupied  the  Cemetery  Ridge  and  extended  further 
south.  It  is  impossible  then  not  to  be  struck  by  what  must  be 
called  Lee's  capital  error  in  the  disposition  of  his  forces  on  the 
second  and  third  days  of  the  battle.  It  is  no  disparagement 
of  the  great  Confederate  Chieftain's  abilities  to  point  out  this 
error,  for  as  the  general  result  of  the  battle  was  the  defeat  of 
his  army,  the  cause  of  this  defeat  must  be  found  somewhere, 
and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  ascribe  it  principally  to  the  extension 
of  his  left  opposite  Gulp's  Hill. 


264  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

While  in  an  hour  or  two  at  the  utmost  reinforcements  could 
be  taken  from  there  to  Cemetery  Ridge  and  Round  Top  and 
vice  versa,  it  would  have  required  a  whole  day's  march  for  a 
column  leaving  the  shores  of  Rock  Creek  at  the  foot  of  Gulp's 
Hill  to  reach  the  positions  from  which  Pickett's  Division 
moved  to  its  celebrated  charge.  This  excessive  development 
of  Lee's  front  which  gave  his  adversary  the  advantage  of  the 
interior  lines  in  a  degree  rarely  seen  on  any  field  of  battle, 
deprived  him  not  only  of  the  power  of  concentration,  but  also 
of  the  means  of  securing  combined  action.  For  even  his  mes 
sengers  were  greatly  delayed  in  carrying  his  orders,  and  when 
he  prescribed  to  his  lieutenants,  in  order  to  act  in  concert,  to 
take  the  cannonade  on  one  wing  as  a  signal  for  an  attack 
of  the  other,  this  plan  lamentably  failed.  If  we  ask  why  he 
threw  in  that  way  his  left  around  Gulp's  Hill,  and  why  he  did 
not  correct  this  when  he  discovered,  as  he  no  doubt  did  very 
soon,  that  it  was  a  mistake,  the  answer  should  be,  I  think : 
First,  that  on  the  evening  of  the  first  he  did  certainly  not  ex 
pect  to  meet,  next  morning  on  Cemetery  Hill,  the  unconquer 
able  resistance  which  alone  prevented  his  two  wings  from 
being  strongly  connected  together.  Neither  the  condition  of 
the  Federal  troops  that  evening,  when  they  lost  Gettysburg, 
nor  the  aspect  of  Cemetery  Hill,  as  seen  from  the  seminary, 
could  justify  such  an  expectation.  Second,  that  it  was  the 
very  greatness  of  the  defeat  of  his  position  which  prevented 
him  from  correcting  it.  If  he  had  drawn  in  his  left  to  rein 
force  his  centre  this  would  have,  no  doubt,  enabled  Longstreet 
in  turn  to  extend  to  the  right  and  to  strike,  south  of  Round 
Top,  a  blow  which  would  probably  have  caused  the  retreat  of 
the  Federal  army.  But  to  accomplish  that  transfer  a  full  day 
would  have  been  consumed,  during  which  Ewell's  forces  would 
have  been  practically  annulled,  and  the  whole  of  the  Federal 
right  left  free  to  join  either  the  centre  or  left  in  a  general  at 
tack  against  Hill  or  Longstreet.  This  risk  General  Lee  could 
not  afford  to  run,  and  so  was  he  more  and  more  fatally  entan 
gled  by  the  consequences  of  the  first  move  of  Ewell  down  the 
valley  of  Rock  Creek. 

Having  retraced  our  steps  we  turned  first  south-southwest 
and  then  duly  east  at  the  crossroads,  in  an  angle  of  which  lies 
the  celebrated  peach  orchard.  This  was  the  ground  soaked 
by  the  blood  of  the  gallant  soldiers  of  the  Third  Corps.  After 
these  streams  of  blood,  streams  of  ink  flowed  in  the  controv 
ersy  upon  the  merits  or  defects  of  the  position  taken  on  this 
ground  by  our  brave  friend,  General  Sickles.  In  this  con- 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  265 

troversy  we  were  not  disposed  to  enter  again,  and  I  was  more 
anxious  to  have  the  glorious  cripple  show  us  the  exact  spot 
where  he  parted  from  his  shattered  leg  than  to  sit  in  judgment 
upon  officers,  dead  or  living,  who  had  all  acted  with  unsur 
passed  bravery  and  devotion,  and  been  inspired  only  by  their 
desire  to  serve  faithfully  their  common  cause.  The  only  ob 
servation  which  a  careful  study  of  the  general  aspect  of  the 
ground  will  suggest  here  is  that  this  aspect  is,  if  I  can  say  so, 
of  a  very  deceitful  nature.  I  mean  that,  at  a  certain  distance, 
one  can  easily  be  mistaken  upon  the  real  value  of  a  position, 
which  appears  to  have  a  certain  command  over  the  neighbor 
hood,  and  which,  on  closer  inspection,  turns  out  to  be  very 
weak.  This  applies  to  all  the  ground  crossed  by  the  Emmets- 
burg  Road,  but  not,  of  course,  to  the  bold  profile  of  Little 
Round  Top,  on  whose  rocky  summit  our  next  steps  brought  us. 
On  the  importance  of  this  place,  consecrated  by  the  death 
of  Weed,  Vincent,  and  so  manw  of  their  brave  fellows,  there 
is  no  room  for  discussion.  The  bronze  statue  of  Warren, 
standing  like  a  living  man  on  a  protruding  boulder,  reminds 
a  visitor  of  the  happy  initiative,  at  the  call  of  Sickles,  which 
secured  to  the  Federals  the  possession  of  Little  Round  Top.  I 
must  confess  that  I  was  deeply  moved  at  the  sight  of  this 
monument  raised  to  the  memory  of  this  gallant  officer,  whose 
heart  was  broken  forever  by  the  unjust  persecution  of  which 
he  was  a  victim. 

There  is  no  striking  natural  feature  to  distinguish  the  place 
where  Pickett's  undaunted  soldiers  met,  in  the  most  desperate 
hand-to-hand  conflict  (Webb's)  Philadelphia  Brigade,  and 
were  hurled  back  by  the  fighting  crowd  which  gathered  be 
fore  them  at  the  call  of  Hancock.  The  place  is  perhaps  the 
more  impressive  on  account  of  its  plainness.  A  crumbling 
stone  wall,  a  foot  high,  dividing  two  fields,  one  of  which  gently 
slopes  toward  the  southwest,  a  few  stunted  trees  behind,  mark 
the  high-tide  line  upon  which  broke  the  last,  the  most  power 
ful  wave  of  the  Confederate  invasion.  A  few  yards  beyond 
the  place  is  pointed  to,  and  should  always  be,  in  memory  of  a 
gallant  soldier,  where,  like  the  block  of  stone  hurled  by  the 
wave  before  its  final  receding,  General  Armistead  fell  dying 
in  the  thickest  of  his  enemies.  I  have  not  space  enough  to 
dwell  upon  our  very  interesting  excursion  to  the  east,  where 
Gen.  David  McM.  Gregg  explained  to  us  in  such  a  clear  and 
forcible  way  the  details  of  the  cavalry  fight  which,  although  it 
took  place  some  miles  from  the  positions  of  the  contending 
hosts,  had  a  great  influence  upon  the  issue  of  the  battle.  For 


266  GEXEBAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Stuart,  who  had  been  carried  too  far  away  by  unforeseen  cir 
cumstances,  and  whose  absence  had  been  such  a  source  of 
weakness  to  the  Confederate  army,  might  have  retrieved  his 
error  by  falling  upon  the  Federal  line  of  communication  if  he 
had  not  been  stopped  in  this  dangerous  movement  by  the 
prompt  and  decisive  action  of  Gregg's  cavalry.  The  latter 
general  was  kind  enough  to  remind  me  that  I  have  been  the 
first  to  put  in  full  value  the  service  he  rendered  to  the  army 
in  that  fight,  which  had  rather  been  overlooked  by  other  writers 
on  the  same  subject. 

I  shall  therefore  conclude  this  sketch  of  our  day's  work  by 
the  visit  to  the  small  wooden  country  house,  which  stands  un 
altered  since  1863,  where  Meade  had  his  headquarters,  near 
which  Butterfield  received  a  glorious  wound,  and  which  de 
rives  its  historical  importance  from  the  council  of  war  in 
which  it  was  decided  to  fight  out  the  greatest  battle  of  the 
war  in  the  positions  upon  which  a  mere  accident  had  put  in 
presence  the  two  contending  hosts.  There  is  an  old  proverb 
which  says  that  councils  of  war  never  fight.  The  stern  resolu 
tion  to  which  this  council  came  makes  a  most  remarkable  ex 
ception  to  the  general  rule  of  military  history  to  the  credit  of 
those  who  endorsed  it.  But  there  is  another  rule  which  must 
never  be  forgotten :  it  is  that  whatever  may  be  the  opinion  of 
a  council  of  war,  it  is  nothing  but  an  opinion,  and  that  the 
whole  responsibility  of  any  decision  rests  entirely  and  only 
upon  the  commander-in-chief.  With  the  responsibility  goes 
naturally  the  credit  when  success  rewards  the  course  which 
he  has  pursued.  Therefore,  I  think  it  must  be  most  emphat 
ically  asserted  that,  whatever  may  have  been  General  Meade's 
utterances  in  the  council  of  war,  he  must  reap  the  whole  bene 
fit  of  the  decision  he  endorsed  and  carried  into  effect.  And  he 
will  be  praised  by  future  generations  for  having  inspired  him 
self  from  the  short  sentence  uttered  by  our  valiant  Marshal 
McMahon  when  he  entered,  sword  in  hand,  the  ruin  of  Fort 
Malakhof :  "J'y  suis,  j'y  reste" — here  I  am,  and  shall  remain. 

From  the  little  room  where  the  chief  of  staff  and  four  out 
of  the  seven  generals  who  commanded  the  army  corps  on  the 
2d  of  July,  the  three  others  being  dead,  have  met  again  after 
more  than  twenty-seven  years,  our  last  step  will  be  to  the 
spacious  chapel  where,  on  the  evening  of  the  I5th  of  October, 
the  inhabitants  of  Gettysburg,  both  ladies  and  gentlemen,  met 
to  give  a  cordial  greeting  to  our  party.  Young  and  old, 
mothers  and  children,  belonging  to  every  profession,  came  to 
see,  sitting  together  on  the  same  platform,  most  of  the  gen- 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEKFIELD  267 

erals  whose  names  were  familiar  to  all  of  them.  To  some, 
belonging  to  our  generation,  not  only  their  names,  but  their 
faces  were  familiar,  and  it  was  not  without  emotion  that  this 
sight  carried  them  back  to  the  days  of  their  youth,  when  the 
tremendous  storm  of  war  suddenly  broke  upon  their  peaceful 
town.  But  to  most  of  them  the  sight  was  a  perfectly  novel 
one  To  the  new  generation  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  is  an 
historical  event,  like  the  battle  of  Marathon,  and  most  of  our 
auditors  must  at  first  have  doubted  whether  the  gentlemen 
quietly  sitting  before  them,  who,  notwithstanding  for  some  the 
loss  of  a  limb,  for  others  the  color  of  the  hair,  seemed  full  of 
life  and  activity,  were  really  some  of  the  chief  actors  in  the 
great  events  to  which  their  town  owes  its  celebrity.  I  hope  a 
full  account  of  the  proceedings  of  that  evening  will  be  pub 
lished.  I  conclude  by  expressing  my  gratitude  to  General 
Butterfield  for  having  organized,  with  such  perfect  success  our 
visit  to  Gettysburg,  and  to  all  our  companions  for  having  so 
cheerfully  answered  his  call. 

LECTURE   ON   ST.   BRENDIN'S   VOYAGE. 
Before  the  New  York  Gaelic  Society,  April,  1892. 

In  ancient  days,  when  Mars,  Jupiter,  and  the  deities  of 
heathen  mythology  were  the  objects  of  worship,  oblations  and 
sacrifice,  these  traditional  and  accepted  gods  were  held  by  the 
people  in  the  highest  repute  and  honor,  and,  as  the  founders  of 
their  race,  claiming  often  direct  descent  and  origin  from  them. 

'Tis  told  of  Alexander  the  Great,  when  the  acme  of  his  fame 
had  been  reached,  he  signed  himself  as  the  son  of  Zeus,  and 
claimed  divine  origin  with  Jupiter,  his  father.  His  mother, 
possessed  of  practical  good  sense — like  most  mothers — gave 
him  advice  to  abandon  any  such  ridiculous  talk  as  that,  as  she 
knew  exactly  who  his  father  was. 

The  ancient  tendency  to  claim  divine  origin,  under  the  in 
fluence  of  great  achievement,  has  modified  somewhat  in  modern 
times.  We  are  contented  now  to  exalt  our  origin  to  a  lesser 
degree  than  godlike.  Some  forget  the  humble  nature  and 
simple  character  of  their  ancestors  and  directly  exalt  them, 
thereby  inhaling  the  perfume  of  a  pardonable  vanity  of  their 
own  exhalation.  When  one  of  our  own  race  achieves  great 
work,  it  is  a  duty  to  make  his  name  and  fame  live.  It  is  within 
the  province  and  the  laudable  purposes  of  our  Gaelic  Society  to 
know,  and  let  all  Americans  know,  who  St.  Brendin  was,  what 
he  did,  and  all  his  virtues,  as  a  proud  page  of  Irish  history. 


268 

Some  time  since,  a  friend  in  Maine  asked  me  what  about 
St.  Brendin,  and  whether  the  Irish  had  any  right  to  claim  the 
discovery  of  America,  and  if  religion  had  anything  to  do  with 
it.  The  reply  was  that,  being  neither  Irish  descent  nor  Roman 
faith,  I  could  speak  without  prejudice ;  that  my  conviction,  after 
reading  and  study  of  the  subject  and  the  St.  Brendin  manu 
script,  was  that  if  a  Catholic  Irishman  was  not  the  first  dis 
coverer  of  America,  he  had  caused  its  subsequent  discovery 
by  Erickson  and  Columbus.  Some  day  I  would  tell  him  why. 
This  answer  has  traveled  and  come  back  to  me  several  times. 
It  gives  me  pleasure  to  respond  to  the  invitation  of  the  historic 
section  of  the  Gaelic  Society,  and  through  them  tell  these 
friends  why. 

It  is  fair  to  presume  that  Lief  Erickson's  descendants  and 
race,  who,  by  records  and  researches  of  the  Maine  Historical 
Society,  seem  to  have  clearly  established  his  journey  to  America 
many  years  before  Columbus,  will  say  that  such  ideas  are  ab 
surd,  and  that  they  know  who  first  discovered  America.  But 
St.  Brendin  antedates  Erickson  as  Erickson  does  Columbus. 
Many  a  one  has  been  convicted  and  found  guilty  before  an  im 
partial  jury  on  circumstantial  evidence  not  as  strong  as  these 
manuscripts,  and  their  recognition  in  past  ages  furnish  proofs 
of  St.  Brendin's  voyage  to  this  continent.  There  is  much  in 
them  that  tends  to  disbelief,  but  it  is  fair  to  presume  that  these 
are  the  additions  of  religious  enthusiasts  who  sought  to  sur 
round  the  traveler's  tale  of  a  seven-year  voyage  with  remark 
able,  extraordinary  and  supernatural  occurrences.  That  would 
occur  to-day  under  similar  circumstances.  The  voyages  were 
made  in  the  sixth  century.  The  manuscripts,  of  which  there 
are  a  number  extant,  no  two  written  in  the  same  hand,  appar 
ently,  were  written,  according  to  the  decision  of  renowned  ex 
perts,  in  the  tenth  century,  or  four  hundred  years  after  the 
voyages. 

The  tradition  or  story  was  handed  down  through  the  monas 
teries  and  the  church,  from  one  to  another,  and  scattered  from 
cloister  and  abbey  to  cloister  and  abbey,  as  the  religious  men 
traveled  from  place  to  place.  From  these  they  have  been  col 
lected  together,  until  now  there  are  thirteen  of  them  in  the 
Bibliotheque  Nationale,  in  Paris,  one  or  two  in  the  Bodleian 
Library  at  Oxford,  one  at  the  Nuremburg  Library,  and,  prob 
ably,  four  others  elsewhere. 

Examination  and  research,  made  personally  or  for  me,  leave  no 
question  as  to  their  general  similarity  in  narrative  and  language, 
with  just  such  trifling  differences  as  add  to  conviction  of  their 


GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  269 

truthful  value  rather  than  detract  from  it.  Some  of  these  I 
will  explain. 

You  shall  have  the  story  of  the  search  for  them,  what  was 
found,  and  shall  see  a  set  of  photographic  reproductions  from 
the  Bibliotheque  Nationale.  If  their  publication,  with  all  that 
has  been  of  interest  in  connection  with  them,  will  be  of  any 
value  to  your  society  or  the  public,  and  aid  in  calling  forth  from 
other  societies  and  nationalities  evidence  and  further  light  to 
affirm  or  contradict  the  conclusions  drawn  from  them,  it  shall 
be  done. 

To  correct  and  overcome  established  beliefs  of  many  cen 
turies,  and  bring  out  new  evidence  and  re-write  history,  is  not 
an  easy  task,  nor  hardly  within  the  reach  of  an  advanced  life; 
it  requires  the  labor  and  faith  of  those  possessed  of  youth  and 
the  courage  of  their  convictions.  An  association  for  good  pur 
poses,  like  yours,  has  perpetual  life  and  renewed  and  con 
tinuing  youth,  strength  and  resources ;  my  best  efforts  will  be 
yours  if  our  conclusions  coincide. 

The  question  is  asked,  how  and  why  I  became  interested  in 
St.  Brendin's  story.  An  esteemed  and  valued  friend,  living  in 
New  York,  had  for  years  been  of  great  assistance  to  me  by 
his  culture,  his  broad  knowledge  of  literature,  and  his  love  for 
books.  When  pressed  by  duties  that  gave  me  no  time  to 
thoroughly  investigate  authorities,  his  clear  brain  and  willing 
hand  were  always  at  my  disposal,  with  his  wonderful  memory, 
time  and  again  to  search  among  books  and  documents  for  facts 
for  me.  So  much  of  this  clever  work  had  my  friend  done  for 
me,  through  his  love  for  it  and  his  friendship  for  me,  that  I 
often  thought  I  should  never  be  able  to  give  an  equivalent  for 
the  service.  Arriving  in  Paris  some  time  since,  a  letter  from 
this  friend  asked  an  examination  of  the  manuscripts  of  St. 
Brendin,  existing  in  the  Bibliotheque  Nationale,  and  whether 
there  was  anything  showing  that  St.  Brendin  had  made  a  voy 
age  to  America.  It  was  a  delight  to  receive  such  a  letter. 
There  was  opportunity  to  make  some  return  to  my  friend,  and 
I  visited  the  Bibliotheque  Nationale,  in  Paris,  full  of  the  pur 
pose  to  spare  neither  pains,  expense  nor  trouble  to  comply  with 
the  wish  of  the  friend  whom  I  loved  and  esteemed.  My  search 
and  my  findings  got  me  interested. 

I  have  no  use  for  one  who  will  not  exert  himself  strongly 
for  a  friend,  and  practice  my  belief — hence  came  my  earnest 
work. 

With  what  results  this  labor  of  love  and  friendship  was 
crowned  you  shall  judge.  There  was  no  thought  of  any  publi- 


270  GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

cation  even  in  this  manner  before  you  connected  with  the  work 
at  the  time,  and  this  I  do  for  my  friend.  Of  my  first  visit  to 
that  marvel — the  Bibliotheque  Nationale — a  passing  word  here 
for  book  lovers  and  students. 

All  Paris  knows  it  well.  To  those  unfamiliar  with  the  his 
tory  and  character  of  the  resting  place  of  these  valued  manu 
scripts  let  me  say  it  has  changed  its  name  with  the  regimes  in 
France,  being  known  as  the  Bibliotheque  du  Roi,  Royale,  Im- 
periale  and  Nationale.  Pepin  le  Bref,  son  of  Charles  Martel, 
was  the  first  one  making  a  collection  of  books  and  manuscripts 
now  in  its  possession.  He  lived  in  the  year  750.  Thus  it  is 
really  1,200  years  of  age.  The  building,  of  course  of  later  date, 
is  arranged  in  the  best  possible  manner  and  fireproof  in  its  char 
acter.  The  collection,  in  1885,  numbered  2,200,000  volumes. 
Constant  additions  are  made.  In  1884,  by  the  reports,  there 
were  131,000  readers  and  368,000  volumes  consulted  in  this 
beehive  of  literary  stores  and  research.  I  have  seen  no  later 
report.  It  was  a  real  pleasure  to  encounter,  as  it  is  to  acknowl 
edge,  the  well-known  courtesy  and  politeness  of  the  French 
people,  emphasized  with  additional  force  by  the  culture  of  the 
administration  and  staff  of  the  Bibliotheque  Nationale.  The 
engraving  I  show  you  gives  an  excellent  idea  of  the  architec 
ture  of  the  interior  and  its  suitable  and  spacious  character. 

It  required  considerable  formality,  a  knowledge  of  who  I 
was,  and  my  purpose,  to  get  access  to  the  manuscripts,  which 
are  treasured  and  guarded  with  great  care.  The  necessary  and 
proper  formalities  having  been  gone  through  with,  brought  me 
to  a  commodious  and  well-arranged,  well-lighted  room,  with 
desks  and  tables,  but  no  evidence  of  any  manuscripts  in  sight. 
A  slip  of  paper  was  handed  to  me  with  a  catalogue  of  all 
manuscripts.  My  friend  had  written  there  were  seven  of  the 
manuscripts  of  St.  Brendin.  The  index  and  catalogue  showed 
thirteen,  and  I  called  for  the  whole  thirteen.  Not  more  than 
three  volumes  of  manuscripts  were  delivered  to  one  person  at 
one  time,  and  until  these  were  returned  no  others  could  be 
obtained.  Great  politeness  and  courtesy  were  exercised,  but  it 
took  time  before  those  called  for  were  brought.  Instead  of 
three  separate  volumes,  each  containing  only  a  manuscript  of 
St.  Brendin,  there  were  three  volumes,  containing  each  a  num 
ber  of  manuscripts  of  nearly  the  same  century  or  age,  bound 
together  for  preservation  as  well  as  facility  of  handling,  making 
a  sizable  volume.  Wanting  familiarity  with  manuscripts  of 
that  age,  it  took  some  little  time  to  find  the  manuscript  of  St. 
Brendin  in  each.  When  found,  it  suddenly  dawned  upon  me 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  271 

that  so  far  as  ability  on  my  part  to  promptly  read  those  manu 
scripts  was  concerned,  my  friend  wouldn't  be  much  wiser  than 
he  was  before  I  saw  them.  I  discovered  much  time  and  pa 
tience  were  needed.  The  black  Latin,  although  tolerably 
clearly  written,  with  the  abbreviations  and  differences  in  ex 
pression  from  the  only  Latin  which  I  had  encountered  in  my 
studies,  were  two  very  different  things. 

Confessing  to  myself  my  utter  inability  to  read  these  manu 
scripts  in  any  connected  way,  or  get  any  idea  from  them,  I 
began  to  think  what  to  do.  I  could  pick  out  a  sentence  here 
and  there.  I  returned  them,  and  called  for  another  three  of 
thirteen,  with  the  same  experience  and  the  same  result.  What 
shall  be  done  ?  My  good  friend  has  placed  too  high  an  estimate 
on  my  classical  skill. 

After  reflection,  an  advertisement  in  the  Paris  edition  of 
the  New  York  "Herald,"  under  the  head  of  "Wants,"  asking 
the  services  of  a  scholar,  thoroughly  educated  in  Latin  and 
English,  and  understanding  ancient  Latin  manuscripts,  brought 
three  or  four  replies,  and  from  them  selecting  a  young  man,  a 
graduate  of  Dublin  LIniversity,  we  went  each  day  to  the 
Bibliotheque,  securing  the  manuscripts  to  see  if  there  was  any 
thing  in  them  of  a  nature  to  warrant  a  favorable  answer  to  the 
inquiry  from  New  York.  The  effort  on  his  part  to  read  them, 
though  more  successful  than  mine,  did  not  proceed  as  rapidly 
as  desired,  and  fearing  an  unsatisfactory  search  for  my  friend, 
the  chief  director  of  the  manuscript-room  was  sought,  and 
asked  for  an  address,  with  the  view  of  obtaining  the  services  of 
the  best  expert  known  to  the  Bibliotheque  in  reading  and  copy 
ing  ancient  Latin  manuscripts.  Thus  was  found  a  gentleman 
thoroughly  competent  in  every  respect,  of  fine  education  anci 
culture,  who  had  performed  much  of  this  work  in  other  lines 
and  upon  other  subjects.  He  read  for  me  the  thirteen  different 
manuscripts,  and  advised  me  of  no  material  difference  in  them, 
reporting  all  substantially  the  same ;  the  manuscript  which 
seemed  most  complete,  and  in  the  best  condition,  was  copied, 
with  particulars  of  its  size,  age,  and  everything  of  interest 
concerning  it.  This  report  I  have.  Learning  of  the  possibility 
of  other  manuscripts  of  St.  Brendin  existing  in  other  places, 
search  was  made  and  two  found  in  the  Bodleian  Library  at 
Oxford,  and  one  in  the  Archbishop's  Library,  at  Nuremburg. 

Securing  a  copy  of  the  Bodleian  manuscripts,  found  me 
armed  for  my  friend  with  two  copies — one  from  the  Biblio 
theque  in,  Paris,  and  one  from  the  Bodleian,  at  Oxford.  I  sent 
to  the  United  States  Consul  at  Nuremburg,  and  found  that  the 


272  GENERAL   DANIEL    BtlTTERFIELD 

manuscript  there  was  a  German  translation,  and  not  an  original. 
It  has  since  occurred  to  me  that  I  should  have  gotten  that  also ; 
it  is  evidence  of  the  faith  and  renown  attached  to  the  Brendin 
voyages  in  the  Middle  Ages,  by  other  than  Irish  savants  or 
wise  men. 

Still,  not  entirely  satisfied  with  the  report  for  my  friend, 
effort  was  made  to  secure  one  of  the  MSS.  This  was  im 
possible.  The  courtesy  of  the  Bibliotheque  Nationale  per 
mitted  me  to  have  a  photograph  copy  of  the  MSS.,  which 
had  been  written  out  previously  by  the  expert,  and  it  is  here 
before  you  this  evening,  an  equivalent,  for  students'  purposes, 
or  a  historian,  to  the  original.  This  MS.  came  into  the  pos 
session  of  the  Bibliotheque  Nationale  from  the  Abbey  of  St. 
Martial,  at  Limoges  (Haute  Vienne).  It  is  of  the  tenth  cen 
tury,  notwithstanding  the  catalogue  makes  it  of  the  twelfth. 

It  begins  with  homilies  for  the  Nativity,  taken  from  St.  John 
Chrysostum,  St.  Augustine,  St.  Gregory,  Bede  arid  Origen. 
Then  follow  extracts  from  the  Fathers,  suited  to  sermons ;  let 
ters  of  St.  John,  extracts  from  the  lives  of  the  saints,  among 
others  those  of  St.  Amand,  of  Angouleme;  St.  Basil  and  St. 
Eparchius.  The  life  of  St.  Brendin  is  followed  by  acts  of  our 
Saviour.  It  extends  from  leaf  104  to  leaf  108  of  the  bound 
volumes. 

The  manuscript  is  thirteen  inches  by  six,  somewhat  reduced 
in  the  photo  copy.  It  begins  with  a  description  of  St.  Brendin, 
and  of  the  confession  made  to  him  by  Father  Barindus.  This 
confession  tells  of  the  stories  told  the  father  by  his  son,  a  sailor, 
and  this  sailor's  story  laid  the  foundation  of  St.  Brendin's  de 
sire  to  make  a  voyage  to  the  Land  of  Promise,  which  I  believe 
was  America. 

St.  Brendin  laid  the  statement  before  seven  chosen  men  of 
his  whole  community  of  three  thousand,  in  the  following  lan 
guage,  according  to  the  manuscript : 

"My  beloved  fellow  warriors,  I  ask  of  you  counsel  and  help, 
inasmuch  as  my  thoughts  and  my  heart  are  bent  on  one  desire, 
if  it  be  the  will  of  God.  That  land  whereof  Father  Barindus 
has  spoken  is  the  land  of  promise  of  the  saints  I  have  set  my 
heart  upon.  What  say  you  ?  What  counsel  do  you  give  me  ?" 
Their  answer  was,  "Abbot,  your  will  is  ours ;  have  we  not  left 
our  parents,  have  we  not  forsaken  our  inheritance,  have  we  not 
delivered  ourselves  up  unto  you  ?  Therefore,  with  you  we  are 
ready  to  go  unto  life  or  death." 

They  had  given  their  lives  to  their  work,  for  they  considered 
the  story  as  a  revelation,  to  enable  them  to  reach  the  land  which 


GENEKAL   DANIEL   BUTTEKFIELD  273 

St.  Patrick's  prophecy  had  foretold.  St.  Patrick  said,  when 
upon  the  highlands  of  Munster,  and  looking  out  upon  the 
Atlantic,  that  a  man  of  renown  should  arise  in  those  lands  and 
go  out  upon  the  sea  and  find  the  promised  land.  This  prophecy 
is  known  to  all  who  are  familiar  with  his  history,  and  is  a 
household  word  with  the  educated  in  the  Kerry  region,  and 
was  before  Brendin  was  born  or  known. 

"Adding  to  these  seven  counsellors,  another  seven,  making 
fourteen,  they  made  a  camp  near  an  inlet  of  the  sea,  large 
enough  to  allow  the  passage  of  one  ship."  The  language  of 
the  manuscripts  says  they  took  their  implements  and  made  a 
ship,  ribbed  and  planked  from  within,  as  was  the  custom  in 
those  parts,  and  covered  it  with  the  hides  of  oxen,  caulking  all 
the  seams  of  the  skins  on  the  outside.  They  took  in  two  sup 
plies,  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  supply  of  food,  sufficient  to 
provide  them  for  forty  days,  and  also  oil  to  use  on  the  skins, 
together  with  many  utensils  which  pertain  to  the  wants  of 
human  life.  A  mast  they  built  in  the  middle  of  the  ship,  and 
the  other  rigging  which  belongs  to  such  a  craft.  They  went 
aboard,  and  having  unfurled  the  sails,  they  set  out  toward  the 
summer  solstice.  They  had  a  prosperous  voyage  (westward) 
their  only  needful  labors  as  they  went  along  being  to  keep  the 
ship  braced  up,  and  after  fifteen  days  the  wind  ceased,  and  the 
brethren  rowed  until  their  strength  gave  out.  St.  Brendin  com 
forted  and  admonished  them.  "Fear  not,  brethren,"  said  he, 
"for  God  is  in  this  a  helper  and  seaman  and  captain;  take  in 
all  your  oars  and  the  rudder ;  give  out  the  sails.  Let  God  do 
with  His  servants  and  with  His  ship  as  He  pleases."  How  this 
recalls  to  us  what  Columbus  centuries  ago  had  to  do  in  admon 
ishing  and  comforting  his  sailors ! 

After  forty  days  had  passed,  and  all  their  supplies  were  ex 
hausted,  they  approached  a  land  exceedingly  rocky  and  high. 
They  found  the  bank  high  and  steep  like  a  wall.  Streamlets 
descended  from  the  summit  of  the  island  and  flowed  into  the 
sea,  but  they  could  find  no  resting  place.  They  were  troubled 
with  hunger  and  thirst.  Cruising  about  this  land  for  three 
days  they  found  an  inlet  capable  for  the  passage  of  their  ship. 
The  reports  of  what  they  saw  are  marvelous,  and  some  in 
credible.  They  describe  one  single  Ethiopian.  They  go  from 
landing  to  landing  as  Columbus  did  later.  They  describe  one 
landing,  which  they  afterward  discovered  to  have  been  a  fish 
named  the  jasconius,  an  early  edition  of  the  modern  sea-ser 
pent,  and  not  more  strange  than  the  modern  story  of  the  sea- 
serpent.  None  of  these  accounts  are  more  difficult  to  believe 


274:     GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD 

than  the  story  of  Jonah  and  the  whale.  They  found  a  land 
fertile,  wooded  and  full  of  flowers  and  birds.  All  these  stories 
time  does  not  permit  to  give  you.  While  there  is  much  that 
would  throw  doubt,  in  modern  days,  upon  the  story  of  the 
voyage,  we  leave  these  out,  and  take  only  that  which  bears  no 
evidence  of  imaginative  work,  we  find  sufficient  in  the  manu 
scripts  to  justify  the  conclusion  that  if  they  did  not  discover 
America,  they  caused  its  discovery.  There  are  sentences  of 
the  manuscripts  that  came  down  through  many  hundred  years, 
and  bore  their  fruit  undoubtedly  in  sending  others  to  follow 
up  the  story  of  the  voyages  of  Brendin.  Positive  evidence  of 
this  by  research  may  yet  be  brought  to  light;  the  negative 
evidence  is  all-convincing  to  an  unprejudiced  judgment. 

Let  me  quote  a  few  sentences  from  the  original  manuscript 
as  they  are : 

"Ecce  terra  quam  quaesisti  per  multum  tempus.  Ideo  autem 
non  potuisti  statim  earn  invenire  quod  Deus  tibi  voluit  ostendere 
diversa  sua  secreta  in  Oceano  Magno.  Revertete  itaque  ad 
terram  nativitis  tuae  portans  tecum,  de  fructibus  istis  et  gemmis 
quantum  potest  navicula  capere. 

"Ad  propinquant  enin  dies  peregrinationis  tuae  ut  dormias 
cum  patribus  tuis.  Post  multorum  vero  cunicula  temporum 
declarabitur  ista  terra  successoribus  vestris,  quando.  Chris- 
tianis  advenit  persecutio  paganorum.  Istud  vero  flumen  quod 
videtis  dividit  hanc  insulam  sicut  modo  apparet  vobis  maturis 
fructibus  ita  omni  tempore  permanet  sine  ulla  umbra  noctis. 
Lux  enim  illis  est  Christus." 

These  words  came  to  St.  Brendin,  standing  on  the  bank  of  a 
river,  found  after  days  of  journey  on  the  land.  They  bring 
vividly  to  mind  the  early  steps  of  the  Christian  Fathers  upon 
the  Mississippi  and  St.  Lawrence  in  the  days  when  our  records 
are  perfect  and  undisputed.  If  not  records  of  spoken  words, 
but  imagination,  1,000  years  ago,  then  surely  they  are  the 
prophecy  of  inspiration. 

These  words  made  a  profound  impression,  not  only  upon  my 
self,  but  others.  When  I  read  their  translation  to  an  Irish 
friend  the  tears  coursed  down  his  manly  cheeks,  and  he  ex 
claimed :  "Prophecy!  prophecy!  inspiration!  God  bless  you, 
my  dear  General,  for  giving  me  the  knowledge  of  the  existence 
of  such  words  in  St.  Brendin' s  manuscript." 

Feeling  doubtful  of  my  rusty  knowledge  of  Latin,  I  pre 
sumed  to  trespass  upon  my  most  esteemed  and  honored  friends, 
Cardinal  Gibbons  and  Archbishop  Corrigan,  to  ask  the  benefit 


General  Butterfield  in  I  890. 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  275 

of  their  scholarly  knowledge  and  familiarity  with  Latin  in 
criticising  my  rendition,  which  I  give  you  as  follows : 

"Behold  the  land  which  you  have  sought  for  so  long  a  time. 

"The  reason  you  saw  it  not  sooner  was  that  God  desired  to 
show  you  the  secrets  of  the  ocean. 

"Return,  therefore,  to  the  land  of  thy  nativity,  carrying  with 
you  of  the  fruits  and  gems  all  that  your  ship  will  carry,  for 
the  days  of  your  journey  are  near  to  a  close,  and  you  shall 
sleep  with  your  fathers.  But,  after  the  lapse  of  many  years, 
this  land  shall  be  made  known  to  your  descendants,  when 
Christianity  shall  have  overcome  Pagan  persecution.  Now, 
this  river  which  you  see  divides  the  land,  and,  as  it  now  ap 
pears  to  you  rich  in  fruits,  so  shall  it  always  appear  without 
any  shadow  of  night,  for  its  light  is  Christ." 

I  said  nothing  to  either  of  these  reverend  and  esteemed  gen 
tlemen  of  my  purpose  or  my  views,  so  their  answers  must  be 
solely  construed  as  an  approval  only  of  the  translation  of  the 
particular  sentence,  and  not  of  my  conclusions.  Of  course,  I 
was  much  gratified  to  find  in  the  eminent  Cardinal  Gibbons' 
letter  these  words : 

"CARDINAL'S  RESIDENCE, 

BALTIMORE,  March  31,  1892. 

"My  DEAR  GENERAL — I  have  read  with  interest  the  remark 
able  prediction  found  in  the  MSS.  of  St.  Brendin  (sometimes, 
I  think,  spelled  St.  Brendan). 

"Your  translation  from  the  Latin  is  correct,  including  the 
sentence  beginning  with  the  words  'Ad  propinquat,'  etc.,  as  is 
evident  from  the  context. 

"The  language  of  the  patriarch  is  almost  identical.  You  had 
no  grounds  for  making  any  apology  for  defects  in  Latin." 

The  remainder  of  the  letter  was  of  a  purely  personal  char 
acter  and  irrelevant  to  this  subject,  and  bore  the  honored 
signature, 

"Yours  faithfully  in  Christ, 

"J.  CARDINAL  GIBBONS." 

If  there  was  naught  else  in  this  manuscript,  written  nearly 
a  thousand  years  ago,  it  would  be  all-sufficient  for  a  good 
deal  of  faith  and  more  wonder  to-day. 

Archbishop  Corrigan  kindly  also  replied  that  my  translation 
was  the  equivalent  of  a  literal  rendering,  though  more  liberal, 
and  enclosed  an  exact  literal  translation  from  his  own  pen : 
the  differences  suggested  add  strength  to  the  words. 

Time  will  not  permit  further  extracts  from  the  MSS.     What 


276  GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

you  see  copied  by  the  photograph  from  the  original  requires 
forty-two  pages  of  closely  typewritten  foolscap  to  produce  their 
correct  and  full  translation. 

It  would  seem  to  be  fairly  the  province  of  your  Gaelic  So 
ciety,  with  an  historical  section,  to  exploit  and  add  every  pos 
sible  information  and  evidence  in  connection  with  the  matter. 

Most  writers  on  Columbus  witness  the  guiding  force  and 
value  of  the  traditional  voyage  of  St.  Brendin.  Irving  alluded 
to  him. 

The  early  Portuguese  explorers  had  explicit  faith  in  the  exis 
tence  of  the  El  Dorado,  the  undiscovered  country  of  St.  Bren 
din,  and  kept  looking  for  it.  The  strong  evidence  of  this  is 
when  the  Crown  of  Portugal  ceded  to  the  Castilians  right  and 
dominion  over  the  Canary  Islands,  the  treaty  included  St. 
Brendin's  land  as  a  certain  future  discovery.  The  conditional 
cession  of  St.  Brendin's  land  by  the  King  of  Portugal  to  a 
brother  sovereign  occurred  before  the  transfer  to  Spain. 

The  claim  of  the  Benedictine  chronicler,  Oswald  Moos- 
muller,  that  there  were  American  bishops  of  his  order  during 
the  tenth  century,  must  be  accepted  either  as  evidence  of  their 
existence,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  or  of  full  and  absolute  faith  in 
St.  Brendin's  narrative;  in  the  weakest  point  of  view  it 
strengthens  the  postulate  I  make,  which  is,  "If  he  did  not  dis 
cover  it,  he  caused  its  discovery."  It  must  be  remembered  that 
in  St.  Brendin's  day  there  were  no  printers,  no  newspapers, 
no  type,  no  reporters.  Had  there  existed  the  journalistic  force 
and  enterprise  of  the  present  day,  St.  Brendin's  front  door  bell 
would  have  been  pulled  out  of  joint,  and  his  patience  would 
have  been  tried  by  the  enterprise  and  pertinacity  of  the  agents 
of  the  press  in  getting  the  full  and  true  accounts,  and,  of  course, 
the  first,  if  possible,  of  the  great  voyage,  and  we  would  need  only 
to  refer  to  musty  and  worm-eaten  files  to  get  absolute  and  full 
particulars.  Perhaps  if  it  had  been  so  that  the  world  could 
then  have  known  it  all  with  exactness,  and  the  story  been  tran 
scribed  and  disseminated,  instead  of  sixty  odd  millions  of 
American  freemen  we  should  possibly  have  had  to-day  on  this 
continent  three  or  four  hundred  millions  of  people,  another 
form  of  government  and  different  results. 

These  are  among  the  curious  thoughts  that  such  a  research 
suggests. 

When  one  gets  interested  in  a  subject  and  a  belief  there  are 
many  suggestive  thoughts  and  facts  that  we  appropriate  as 
circumstantial  evidence  to  confirm  our  views.  Apropos  of 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD  277 

this,  we  find  Dr.  Robert  Chambers,  in  his  "Cyclopedia  of 
English  Literature,"  says: 

"The  first  unquestionably  real  author  of  distinction  is  St. 
Columbanus,  a  native  of  Ireland  and  a  man  of  vigorous  ability, 
who  contributed  greatly  to  the  advance  of  Christianity  in 
Western  Europe,  and  died  in  613.  He  wrote  religious  trea 
tises  and  Latin  poetry.  As  yet  no  educated  writer  composed  in 
his  vernacular  tongue ;  it  was  generally  despised  by  the  literary 
class,  and  Latin  was  held  to  be  the  only  language  fit  for  regu 
lar  composition." 

This  gives  us  the  reason  for  the  existence  of  the  Brendin 
MSS.  in  the  Latin  tongue  only,  and  suggests  that  his  writings, 
or  the  words  of  the  renowned  Brendin,  may  have  reached 
Columbus  centuries  after,  from  Columbanus'  high  repute  and 
similarity  of  name,  to  implant  the  name  of  Brendin's  land  in 
Columbus'  mind. 

Perhaps  some  of  your  coadjutors  and  colleagues  in  Ireland 
will  find  among  the  treasures  of  the  Dublin  University,  the 
British  Museum,  or  college  libraries,  some  song  or  verse  of  St. 
Columbanus,  in  praise  or  recognition  of  the  merits  and  work 
of  his  renowned  predecessor,  St.  Brendin.  Should  the  re 
searches  of  the  Gaelic  Society  find  tangible  evidence  to  war 
rant  such  a  conclusion,  the  twin  statues  of  St.  Brendin  and 
St.  Columbanus  on  either  side  of  St.  Patrick  might  well  and 
appropriately  adorn  the  handsome  and  graceful  Cathedral  of 
St.  Patrick,  with  its  twin  spires  of  architectural  grace  and 
beauty,  on  Fifth  Avenue. 

The  Hebrew,  of  full  faith  in  his  race  and  its  belief,  carries 
often  a  little  scroll  incased  in  gold  and  cherished  and  guarded 
always  on  his  person.  It  is  an  amulet,  a  charm,  a  shibboleth 
for  him.  Were  I  of  Irish  descent  I  would  carry  such  a  scroll, 
in  the  shape  of  a  golden  shamrock  set  with  emeralds,  and  on  it 
should  be  inscribed  St.  Patrick's  prophecy  made  on  the  hills  of 
Munster,  as  he  looked  out  over  the  Atlantic  toward  America, 
and  the  words  from  St.  Brendin  spoken,  as  I  believe,  on  this 
land,  and  I  would  teach  it  and  preach  it  to  every  one  of  my 
race  and  kindred. 

Perhaps  some  one  will  say,  if  we  claim  priority  of  discovery 
of  America  for  St.  Brendin,  that  Pliny  the  Elder  refers  to  two 
foreigners,  redskins  (undoubtedly  American  Indians)  who 
were  brought  to  Rome,  under  Nero,  and  exposed  to  the  crowd 
as  satyrs,  by  the  gladiators. 

But  you  may  claim  for  St.  Brendin,  if  not  an  original  dis 
coverer  of  America,  or  if  not  a  discoverer  at  all,  that  his  high 


278  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

religious  character  and  renown  gave  such  power  and  force  to 
his  narrative  as  to  cause  it  to  be  cherished  and  repeated  and 
handed  down  by  his  Church  for  centuries,  and  that  it  planted 
the  seed  which  culminated  in  Lief  Erickson's  voyage,  and 
again  when  the  discovery  had  been  lost,  bore  fruit  in  Colum 
bus'  brain  to  fulfill  the  prophecy  of  the  return  of  Brendin's 
descendants,  and  brought  to  Columbus,  through  the  interest 
created  in  his  Church  and  his  religion  by  St.  Brendin  and  his 
followers,  the  means  and  the  wherewithal  to  prosecute  his  suc 
cessful  voyage.  The  existing  evidence  fully  warrants  this. 
I  may  speak,  in  closing,  of  St.  Brendin  himself,  so  renowned 
was  his  character  as  a  man  of  piety,  influence  and  greatness  in 
his  day,  that  no  complete  and  thorough  compilation  of  bio 
graphical  work,  since  such  were  written,  that  attempts  record 
of  the  world's  great  characters,  fails  to  mention  him  with 
honor. 

He  was  born  in  the  year  484,  in  Tralee,  County  Kerry,  and 
died  in  his  ninety-fourth  year,  at  Clonfert,  County  Galway,  in 
the  year  577.  Tralee,  as  you  know,  is  situated  on  the  Lee,  an 
inlet  of  the  Shannon,  one  of  the  largest  rivers  in  the  British 
Isles.  In  the  same  county  are  other  handsome  sheets  of  water, 
as  Dingle  Bay,  Valentia  Bay  and  the  far-famed  Lakes  of  Kil- 
larney,  with  their  enchanting  surroundings  of  Muckross  Ab 
bey,  Ross  Castle,  McGillicuddy's  Reeks,  and  the  picturesque 
demesne  of  Kenmare,  manorial  abode  of  the  Earl  of  Castle- 
rosse.  At  Cahirciveen,  in  County  Kerry,  was  born  the  greatest 
Irishman  of  modern  times — Daniel  O'Connell — while  at  Valen 
tia  was  laid  the  Atlantic  cable  by  our  fellow  citizen,  Cyrus  W. 
Field,  in  1857. 

From  childhood  St.  Brendin  inhaled  the  ocean  breeze  and 
was  familiar  with  the  briny  element  of  the  navigator. 

And  thus,  where'er  I  went,  all  things  to  me 
Assumed  the  one  deep  color  of  my  mind; 

Great  nature's  prayer  rose  from  the  murmuring  sea. 
And  sinful  man  sighed  in  the  wintry  wind. 

In  view  of  St.  Patrick's  prophecy,  fulfilled  by  St.  Brendin's 
voyage,  it  is  a  fact  pregnant  with  significance  that  the  Atlantic 
cable  was  laid  in  sight  of  Mount  Brendan,  which  stands  out 
prominently  on  the  southwestern  coast  of  Ireland  at  an  ele 
vation  of  more  than  three  thousand  feet.  It  strikes  the  view  of 
all  who  pass  Ireland  en  route  for  Liverpool.  There  is  another 
mountain  in  the  interior  of  Ireland  of  the  same  name.  Tradi- 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  279 

tion  assigns  both  as  places  of  seclusion,  whither  the  great 
Abbot  was  wont  to  retire  for  religious  contemplation. 

At  the  foot  of  his  mountain  retreat  lies  Brendin  Bay,  whence 
he  sailed  for  this  Western  Continent.  During  seven  years  St. 
Brendin  navigated  the  Atlantic  Ocean  in  his  first  voyage,  and 
is,  next  to  St.  Peter,  associated  most  closely  in  religious  thought 
with  men  of  seafaring  life.  The  Irish  Abbot  is  pre-eminently 
the  mariner  saint  of  the  calendar,  wherein  his  memory  is  hon 
ored  on  May  16.  The  sailor-saint  is  also  known  as  St.  Bren 
dan  the  Elder,  in  contradistinction  to  another  Brendan  in  Irish 
history,  known  as  Abbot  of  Birr. 

Throughout  Europe,  during  the  Middle  Ages,  St.  Brendin's 
navigation  was  a  most  popular  theme  in  the  literature  of  the 
Church.  It  has  inspired  the  muse  of  the  poet,  not  less  than  the 
stylus  of  the  scribe,  and  manuscript  narratives  of  the  daring 
exploration,  quite  distinct  from  those  of  which  I  have  spoken, 
are  extant  in  German,  Italian,  Portuguese  and  other  European 
tongues. 

Beautiful  poems  on  "The  Sailor  Saint"  abound  in  the  mod 
ern  languages.  Those  of  Mr.  McCarthy  and  Miss  Donnelly 
are  especially  noteworthy  in  our  own  language,  while  "The 
Prayer  of  St.  Brendin"  and  "St.  Brendin  and  the  Strife-sower" 
are  still  more  popular  among  admirers  of  the  poesy  of  D'Arcy 
and  McGee.  One  stanza  of  McGee's  historic  versification 
says : 

Mo-Brendin,  Saint  of  Sailors,  list  to  me, 

And  give  thy  benediction  to  our  bark, 
For  still,  they  say,  thou  savest  souls  at  sea, 

And  lightest  signal  fires  in  tempests  dark. 

Thou  sought'st  the  Promised  Land  far  in  the  west, 
Earthing  the  sun,  chasing  Hesperian  on, 

But  we  in  our  own  Ireland  had  been  blest, 
Nor  ever  sighed  for  land  beyond  the  sun. 

The  entire  history  of  Norwegian  exploration  in  the  twelfth 
century  presupposes  the  Brendinian  voyages  in  advance  of  it. 
The  Norsemen,  on  reaching  Iceland  and  Greenland,  found 
relics,  utensils  and  sundry  vestiges  of  early  Irish  settlers  in  that 
region.  In  pushing  farther  westward  they  confessedly  fol 
lowed  the  beaten  track  of  the  Irish  explorers.  It  is  similar 
with  the  Portuguese  in  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries. 
Prince  Henry,  the  navigator,  fitted  out  an  expedition  to  sail 
in  pursuit  of  the  Island  of  St.  Brendin. 


280  GENEKAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

But  the  Irish  Abbott  is  scarcely  less  celebrated  for  his  works 
on  land  than  by  his  venturesome  exploits  on  the  more  treacher 
ous  element.  He  traveled  in  Wales  and  Britain,  where  he 
founded  missions  for  peoples  converted  by  himself  to  the  Chris- 
tion  faith.  He  built  in  Britain  the  monastery  of  Ailech,  and  a 
church  in  a  place  called  Heth.  The  former  place  is  the  elec- 
tum  of  the  Romans  of  the  olden  time  and  the  St.  Malo  of  our 
own  day — the  port  of  departure  and  return,  1,000  years  later, 
of  Jacques  Cartier,  the  founder  of  Montreal. 

His  most  famous  foundation,  however,  is  the  renowned 
school  of  Clonfert  in  the  County  of  Galway,  Ireland.  Pilgrim 
students  to  the  number  of  3,000  flocked  to  that  seat  of  learning 
from  various  nations,  in  those  days  of  blood  and  carnage,  when 
Europe  lay  prostrate  beneath  the  Hun,  the  Vandal  and  the 
Goth.  To  this  period  Aubrey  DeVere  refers,  in  describing 
Ireland  as 

Lamp  of  the  North,  when  all  the  world  was  Night. 

In  this  sequestered  retreat  he  also  built  a  convent  for  his 
sister,  whereat  his  eventful  life  was  brought  to  a  peaceful  close. 

Clonfert  is  dear  to  the  Irish.  Its  beauties  have  been  deso 
lated  by  the  crushing  vicissitudes  of  war.  Its  literary  renown 
is  known  only  on  the  page  of  history,  while  its  halls  of  study  are 
a  shapeless  mass  of  earth  and  stone. 

But  though  dark  the  sad  page  of  its  record  has  been, 
And  deep  the  red  stains  that  have  dyed  it, 

Affection  rekindled  shall  turn  from  the  scene 
And  the  mantle  of  charity  hide  it. 

E'en  this  beautiful  ruin,  though  shattered  and  lone 
Where  the  hand  of  decay  has  swept  o'er  it, 

Shall  revive  in  the  splendors  of  days  that  are  gone 
And  the  prayers  of  its  martyrs  restore  it. 

And  Clonfert  is  dear  to  Irish-Americans,  too.  It  may  be 
yet  to  all  Americans.  Our  first  discoverer  was  Clonfert's 
bishop.  The  See  of  Clonfert  will  doubtless  remain  during  fu 
ture  ages  as  a  shrine  of  pilgrimage  to  numberless  tourists,  for 
it  holds  in  its  midst  an  honored  grave  where  rests  the  hallowed 
dust  of  the  patriarchal  navigator,  who  first  designated  this 
hemisphere  as  a  paradise  of  loveliness,  to  give  happy  homes 
and  altars  free  to  the  myriad  outcasts  of  the  human  family. 

May  the  name  and  fame  of  St.  Brendin  never  die. 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  281 

ORATION  ON  CHARACTER  AND  DUTY. 
Union  College,  June  22,  1892. 

Mr.  President — Gentlemen  of  the  Board  of  Trustees: 

For  the  honor  conferred  by  your  invitation  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  this  day  accept  most  grateful  thanks.  The  Ninety- 
fifth  commencement  day  that  sums  up  at  its  finish  a  total  of 
six  thousand  graduates,  from  an  institution  whose  sons  have 
filled  with  such  distinction  so  many  and  different  posts  of  honor 
and  renown  in  their  course  of  life,  is  a  marked  event  not  only 
for  memory  but  special  pride  as  well.  The  cheering,  prosper 
ous  outlook  for  the  future  of  our  Alma  Mater,  under  President 
Webster,  reflects  credit  upon  the  judgment  that  placed  at  the 
helm  one  so  eminently  able.  The  genius,  character  and  prac 
tical  wisdom  of  Eliphalet  Nott  made  and  maintained  so  high 
a  standard  with  such  wonderful  success  and  stability  for  half  a 
century,  as  to  leave  many  of  us  to  wonder  if  it  could  continue. 
Now  we  realize  another  cycle  of  prosperity  in  the  good  work 
which  is,  by  its  repetition,  to  prove  future  renewals  and 
perpetuity. 

We  honor  ourselves  when  we  lay  at  the  feet  of  our  Alma 
Mater  the  laurels  her  training  has  given  us,  and  come  to  glory 
in  her  past  and  her  future. 

Young  Gentlemen,  Graduates,  Students: 

Again  commencement  day  comes,  and  throughout  the  land 
the  halls  of  learning  throw  open  their  portals.  Young  men  go 
forth  crowned  with  the  rewards  of  studious  toil,  laurels  for 
successful  effort,  and  symbols  as  well  of  regard  and  attention 
to  character  and  duty.  Character  and  duty,  those  two  words 
in  their  full  significance  sum  up  all  there  is  in  life,  and  the 
success  of  life. 

You  have  well  begun  to  earn  these  symbols. 

Time-honored  custom  and  usage  brings  kindly  words  and 
good  advice  to-day.  Your  president  and  professors  have  not 
lost  sight  of  this  in  their  work  and  duty  with  you.  You  will 
ever  cherish  it  pleasantly.  While  they  centre  around  each 
one  of  you  some  particular  bright  thought  and  hope  in  the  fu 
ture,  you  now  begin ;  and  look  for  added  honor  to  Union,  and 
to-day  the  Alumni  come  renewing  love  and  esteem,  looking  with 
gladness  upon  the  new  accession  to  their  members,  the  glorious 
muster  roll  of  Union's  sons. 

Visions  come  to  us  of  years  agone  when,  under  these  same 
June  skies,  we  marched  from  yonder  gray  walls  on  the  hill,  the 


282  GENEEAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

placid,  beautiful  Mohawk  flowing  peacefully  through  the  valley 
before  us,  to  come  hither  for  the  same  ceremonies  as  now. 
This  assemblage,  these  reminiscences  bring  naturally  to  mind 
thoughts  of  those  who  have  preceded  you.  Presidents,  Gen 
erals,  Cabinet  Ministers,  Diplomats,  Governors,  Senators, 
Statesmen,  Scientists,  Bishops,  Clergy,  Editors,  professional 
and  business  men,  gentlemen,  all  of  high  character,  a  goodly 
roll  of  learned  and  worthy  men.  With  them  you  are  now  en 
rolled,  to  them  with  you  and  your  successors,  our  loved  and 
honored  Alma  Mater,  will  point  and  does  point,  with  a  just 
pride  and  sense  of  honor,  as  do  all  our  universities  of  learning 
to  their  sons,  but  none  are  more  keenly  and  strongly  imbued 
with,  and  more  justly  entitled  to,  that  honest  and  honorable 
pride  than  old  Union. 

All  this  speaks  with  force  and  feeling  to  one  who,  forty- 
three  years  ago,  listened,  where  you  do  now,  and  now  to  whom 
you  listen.  It  tells  of  the  far-reaching  influences  which  every 
graduate  carries  with  him.  Dreamily  one  imagines  the  grand 
university  with  its  professors,  instructors,  traditions,  customs 
and  usages,  the  libraries,  text-books,  halls,  chapels,  and  imple 
ments  of  learning,  these  young  heads  and  hopeful  hearts  that 
patiently  work  in  its  vineyard,  as  one  vast  lake  of  crystal  purity 
as  it  were,  and  every  outgoing  graduate  a  stream  issuing  forth 
from  its  borders  to  enrich,  brighten  and  better  the  fields  of  duty 
in  life.  The  courses  may  be  stony,  rough,  inhospitable,  obsta 
cles  dispute  the  way,  but  the  fountain  head  has  given  and 
formed  a  strong  tide  of  character  and  intelligence,  which  car 
ried  on  by  duty,  will  force  and  find  its  way  through  to  life's 
great  work,  sparkling  with  the  sunlight  of  benefit  to  mankind, 
and  sending  back  glowing  mists  of  refreshing  and  renewing 
vigor  to  the  source. 

The  poet's  Psalm  of  Life  sings  grandly : 

"Tell  me  not  in  mournful  numbers 
Life  is  but  an  empty  dream! 
Life  is  real !     Life  is  earnest." 

We  leave  metaphor,  work  is  to  begin.  Realities  come.  This 
discipline  and  study,  this  loved  labor  of  learning  has  not  been 
all  flowers  and  pleasure,  and  now  is  to  be  the  application  of 
training  and  acquirements  in  the  varied  walks  and  works  of 
life.  There  is  no  chance  hit  in  your  start.  You  are  well  pre 
pared  for  your  future  work.  That  work  is  for  success,  the 
hope  of  every  life. 

Let  us  fall  into  line  with  old  usage  here,  while  speaking  of 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD  283 

the  elements  of  success  in  that  work  of  life.  Let  us  endeavor 
to  plant  seed  down  in  the  memory  and  heart  with  the  hope  of 
fruitful  reproduction,  so  we  will  accord  with  the  custom  of 
nearly  half  a  century  that  gave  such  grand  results  in  the  suc 
cess  of  Union's  sons.  Every  one  of  them  living  will  echo  with 
hearty  Amen,  God  bless  the  teachings,  the  recollections  of  the 
practical  work  and  the  memory  of  grand  Eliphalet  Nott.  May 
we  come  with  all  modern  accessions  and  advantages  to  that 
line  for  the  success  he  gave,  by  interweaving  with  the  regular 
curriculum  practical  ideas  and  advice  that  tend  to  meet  the 
nature  of  man,  and  the  demands  of  our  country,  in  the  college 
development  and  work  here  and  hereafter,  guided  by  the  char 
acter  and  sense  of  duty  carried  with  us  from  this  beginning. 
Our  theme  what  the  rewards  and  honors  of  to-day  symbolize, 
Character  and  Duty. 

When  an  engineer  starts  out  to  survey  and  bring  to  record 
and  fact  the  lay  of  the  land  for  any  great  work,  he  must  fix 
and  start  from  certain  unchangeable  base  points  to  make  his 
triangulation  and  work  sure.  The  more  prominent  and  per 
manent  such  base  or  point,  like  a  projecting  rock,  a  mountain, 
a  grand  tree,  the  better  and  more  certain  his  work. 

Every  time  that  he  strikes  such  a  point  in  his  work,  facility 
and  benefit  follows. 

So  in  life  and  its  work;  the  men  who  accomplish  most,  find 
ing  best  advantage  in  the  work  of  others,  always  seek  those 
grand  base  points  of  man's  strength  for  success  in  life,  char 
acter  and  duty. 

May  these  be  a  guide  in  grappling  with  life's  problem. 

The  Greek  word  character,  with  its  relation  to  man,  we 
might  briefly  define  as  the  imprint  of  individuality,  the  evidence 
of  personal  worth,  the  distinguishing  feature  of  true  greatness. 

Character  distinguishes  the  somebody  from  the  nobody,  the 
thoughtful  and  considerate  from  the  heedless  and  selfish,  the 
worker  from  the  drone,  the  hero  from  the  coward,  and  is  the 
adjunct  of  wisdom. 

By  study  we  may  know  much  and  possess  great  knowledge, 
by  character  we  emphasize  and  make  that  knowledge  valuable 
and  beautiful.  Without  character  to  its  possessor  that  knowl 
edge  and  wisdom  is  like  the  uncut  gem,  character  shapes  it, 
polishes  it,  and  holds  it  forth  to  light,  truth  and  full  effect,  gives 
it  value,  just  as  the  polishing  and  shaping  of  the  diamond  or 
precious  stone  reveals  its  brilliancy  and  worth. 

It  is  natural  for  every  man  to  desire  honorable  distinction, 


284  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

and  character  always  gives  a  real  distinction  of  an  honorable 
nature. 

Character  never  shrinks  from  what  are  called  difficulties. 

Demosthenes  stuttered  at  the  start,  but  his  fame  as  an  orator 
has  lived  many  centuries. 

Young  Disraeli,  the  Hebrew,  was  hissed  when  he  first  ad 
dressed  the  English  House  of  Commons.  He  died  the  Earl  of 
Beaconsfield,  a  title  richly  earned  for  statesmanship  and  power 
as  a  leader  and  prime  minister  of  a  great  and  powerful  nation. 

The  determined  effort  and  self-confidence  of  character  grow 
ing  with  growth  of  years  was  evidenced  by  Cato  who  began  to 
study  Greek  at  80.  Michael  Angelo,  when  he  first  saw  the 
Pantheon,  confidently  exclaimed,  "I  will  put  it  in  the  air,"  and 
he  planted  it  as  the  dome  of  St.  Peter's.  In  his  85th  year,  when 
already  architect,  sculptor,  painter,  poet,  he  exclaimed,  "I  am 
still  learning,"  so  we  evidence  character  when  we  realize  how 
much  we  have  to  learn. 

If  we  cannot  cover  the  globe  with  a  canopy  of  crystal  reflect 
ing  the  gems  of  Golconda,  we  can  fill  our  mind  with  brilliant 
aspirations  and  our  heart  with  honeysuckles  to  distill  happiness 
around  us. 

Character  selects  a  given  line  of  action  or  work,  and  forth 
with  continues  to  make  it  a  matter  of  delight.  Nothing  is  more 
truthful  than  that  men  are  led  captive  by  their  idols. 

The  deeper,  the  darker  it  grows  for  the  well-digger;  but 
with  hope  he  looks  for  what  hope  is  called,  the  grateful  well- 
spring  of  pleasure  which  shall  quench  the  burning  thirsts  of 
mid-summer. 

Character  is  the  touchstone  of  success;  with  it  there  is  no 
failure. 

Commodore  Vanderbilt,  the  founder  of  the  family  and  for 
tune,  a  man  of  great  character  and  wisdom,  was  once  asked 
what  he  considered  the  secret  of  success.  "Secret,  secret,"  he 
replied,  "there  is  no  secret  about  it;  all  you  have  to  do  is  to 
attend  to  your  business  and  go  ahead."  That  was  an  evidence 
cf  character,  and  is  character  always.  Some  attribute  the  suc 
cess  in  life  of  such  character  to  luck.  "I  never  had  any  faith  in 
luck,"  says  Mr.  Spurgeon,  "except  I  believe  good  luck  will 
carry  a  man  over  a  ditch  if  he  jumps  well,  and  will  put  a  bit  of 
bacon  in  his  pot  if  he  looks  after  his  garden  and  keeps  a  pig." 
Luck  comes  to  those  who  look  after  it,  and  it  taps  once  in  a 
lifetime  at  everybody's  door ;  if  industry  does  not  open  it,  away 
it  goes.  It  may  not  tap  at  your  door  with  the  desire  of  your 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTEEFIELD  285 

heart,  but  your  character  will  make  it  successful.  Thus  char 
acter  at  times  makes  advantage  out  of  seeming  calamity. 

Tireless  industry,  so  cultivated  as  to  become  a  sustained 
habit  of  life,  is  an  evidence  of  character. 

The  drop  hews  the  stone. 

The  drone  never  enjoys  himself  nor  succeeds,  imparts  no  suc 
cess  or  enjoyment  to  others.  Only  the  worker  realizes  the 
pleasure  given  by  something  accomplished. 

The  sponge  only  gives  what  is  squeezed  out  of  it.  It  is  not 
necessary  that  our  blade  be  of  Toledo  or  Damascus  to  carve 
success. 

If  we  make  no  grand  distinguishing  mark  in  life  it  is  not 
evidence  of  want  of  character  since  it  has  so  many  and  such 
varied  types,  but  we  can  banish  the  words  "non  possumus," 
and  attain  it  by  work,  which  with  judicious  self-reliance  is 
clear  evidence  of  and  a  constituent  element  in  character. 

Horace  said,  "Who  trusts  himself  shall  sway  the  multitude." 

This  Roman  poet  had  a  delightful  individuality  which  is 
character,  subjecting  all  things  to  himself  he  would  never  al 
low  the  vicissitudes  of  life  to  hold  sway  over  his  personal 
freedom. 

"Et  mihi  res  non  me  rebus  submittere  conor." 

A  rich  storehouse  of  self-governing  wisdom  and  character, 
even  as  rendered  in  the  slang  of  the  day,  "I  boss  them,  not 
they  me." 

Some  mistake  obstinacy  for  character,  while  it  is  the  opposite 
and  closely  allied  to  foolhardiness. 

The  reasoning  mind  has  it,  and  will  never  be  obstinate. 

There  is  a  safeguard  to  character  which  is  made  of  adamant, 
an  unfailing  buckler  and  cuirass  of  individual  excellence.  This 
safeguard  and  talisman  is  true  unfeigned  modesty.  Like  the 
sensitive  plant  it  shrinks  instinctively  from  familiar  outward 
contact. 

"Mores  faciunt  hominem,"  says  the  legend,  but  manners  are 
all  embodied  in  the  Greek  term  character.  There  is  in  the  pithy 
appeal  to  character  of  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles  a  world  of 
suggestiveness.  "If  the  trumpet  give  an  uncertain  sound  who 
shall  prepare  himself  for  the  battle  ?"  a  thought  always  for  him 
who  would  win  the  battle  of  life.  Warriors,  philosophers  and 
apostles  alike,  appeal  to  character  as  the  reliance  and  base.  The 
Grecian  warrior  and  the  Tarsan  apostle  use  almost  identical 
language  in  such  an  appeal.  "Ye  men  of  Greece,"  said  Cyrus; 
"Ye  men  of  Athens,"  said  St.  Paul.  The  touchstone  of  virility 


286  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

in  either  instance  is  the  manhood,  and  without  character  there 
is  no  manhood. 

In  these  days  of  nervous  energy  and  intense  pursuits,  crowd 
ing  so  much  in  every  day's  work,  we  see  less  of  conventional 
usage  among  men.  The  educated  man  preserves  it  and  thereby 
shows  character.  Its  absence  is  not  a  good  sign,  it  tends  to 
license  which  destroys  the  finest  sensibilities  of  our  nature. 

Certain  conventional  laws  relative  to  our  mutual  daily  inter 
course,  not  only  help  preserve  self-respect,  but  act  as  most 
efficient  discipline  in  forming  character.  Pleasant,  easy  inter 
course  is  wholesome,  but  there  must  be  a  limit  to  all  familiarity 
so  that  no  license  begins.  We  cannot  dispense  with  the  laws 
that  make  ceremony  to  a  certain  extent  necessary  in  our  inter 
course  with  the  world  and  each  other. 

Washington,  whose  strong  character  is  historical  and  marked 
in  every  act  of  his  life,  carried  conventionality  and  etiquette 
to  the  smallest  details,  to  his  mother,  to  his  wife,  his  servants, 
always  the  self-contained,  courteous  manner,  with  him  inbred, 
but  to  be  cultivated  by  all.  It  gives  great  advantage  in  debate 
and  all  the  intercourse  and  rough  friction  in  life's  encounters. 
Would  we  form  our  character  after  some  high  ideal  or  living 
model  we  must  first  turn  our  eyes  inward,  recognize  our  de 
fects  and  commence  by  power  of  will,  which  is  a  part  of  char 
acter,  to  weed  out  the  ignoble  and  selfish,  and  cultivate  per 
fection.  By  ourselves  alone  we  can  strengthen  character  and 
individuality. 

Every  young  man  holds  the  elements  of  his  future  character 
in  his  own  grasp.  If,  unfortunately,  he  has  made  a  mistake 
he  can  remedy  it.  It  is  for  him  to  crush  the  weak  side  which 
yields  to  temptation  and  neglect,  and  build  up  the  strong,  manly 
side  which  bids  defiance  to  wrong  influences.  Unconsciously, 
sometimes,  perchance  by  training  of  careful  parents,  or  by  ex 
ample  which  has  called  forth  youthful  admiration,  one  young 
man  leads  another  wanting  such  surroundings  in  the  formation 
of  character  at  the  start  in  life. 

Perhaps  nature,  school  associations,  or  companions  may  con 
fer  favorable  development  over  that  of  one  laboring  under  dis 
advantages,  requiring  years  of  work  in  the  right  direction  to 
overcome,  but  with  persistence  will  come  success.  Strong  ef 
fort  seldom  fails.  Whatever  is  worth  doing  is  worth  doing 
well,  and  certainly  the  trial  to  establish  character  is  worth  the 
best  effort  of  any  young  man's  life.  It  is  not  necessary  to  be 
rich  to  be  great  or  to  be  respected,  but  it  is  necessary  to  have 
individuality  and  character,  more  easily  attained  than  riches. 


GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  287 

When  on  his  death  bed,  the  great  merchant  and  philanthrop 
ist,  the  late  William  Welsh,  of  Philadelphia,  was  asked  for  a 
maxim  that  should  guide  a  young  friend  in  the  maze  of  life. 
He  said,  "Riches  and  fame  have  wings,  friends  may  leave  you 
• — nothing  survives  like  character." 

Many  things  which  we  know  and  realize  perfectly  when  they 
are  brought  home  to  us,  escape  thought  or  attention  until 
some  incident,  words  or  occasion  bring  them  strongly  before 
us.  Let  us  then  strive  to  keep  before  others  as  well  as  our 
newcomers  here,  and  work  for  and  build  up  and  guard  con 
stantly  the  high  average  standard  of  character  borne  by  the 
sons  of  our  Alma  Mater  these  many  years  as  part  of  our  good 
work  and  our  success  in  life. 

The  unlearned  man  who  lacks  opportunities  of  the  more  for 
tunate,  looks  with  watchful  eye  to  see  what  has  been  developed 
by  mental  training.  He  may  not  be  able  to  analyze  it,  to  rea 
son  it  out,  but  instinct  reveals  to  him  the  result  of  such  work 
in  manhood  and  character.  Though  it  belongs  to  all  men  with 
out  regard  to  advantages,  in  greater  or  less  degree,  its  develop 
ment  is  a  grand  part  of  the  training  value  of  the  university. 
Opinions  may  change,  do  change.  What  seemed  in  youth  bril 
liant,  in  later  years  may  lose  in  estimate.  The  idea  of  things 
we  have  done,  deprived  of  the  glamor  or  halo  with  which  youth 
surrounds  them,  will  change.  The  force  of  character  which 
caused  them,  if  time  shows  they  possessed  no  inherent  evil  or 
vice,  wounded  no  fine  sensibilities,  grew  not  from  malice  or 
wickedness,  leaves  no  bitter  regrets  at  freshmen  and  sopho 
more  escapades.  Obsequies  of  mathematics,  that  useful  study 
that  trains  the  reasoning  powers,  freezing  the  bell  or  hiding  it, 
filling  the  chapel  with  new-mown  hay,  or  other  devices,  to  get 
a  rest  from  recitation  and  study,  and  work  off  youthful  effer 
vescence,  all  these  leaving  no  stain  upon  character,  permit  the 
student  grown  to  mature  years  to  look  back  upon  them  without 
pain  or  regret  save  for  time  lost  and  opportunities  wasted. 

While  every  act  of  life  is  often  indication  of  and  part  of 
character,  it  does  not  follow  that  sinless  college  escapades  de 
tract  from,  or  evidence  bad  character.  So  we  forgive  ourselves 
much  that  we  would  not  like  to  see  others  do.  It  is  only  when 
dishonor  or  want  of  manhood  appears  that  they  detract  from 
character,  and  we  are  proud  of  Union's  record  of  almost  per 
fect  freedom  from  such  instances.  Such  incidents  often  fore 
cast  character  of  a  strong  and  manly  type. 

At  West  Point,  the  superintendent  is  the  equivalent  of  your 
president,  in  relative  position.  A  general,  brilliant  for  high 


288  GENERAL    DANIEL    BTJTTERFIELD 

honor  and  integrity,  even  in  the  midst  of  the  entourage  of  noble 
men  who  make  such  record  for  that  institution  which  so  thor 
oughly  imbues  its  pupils  with  its  esprit  and  code  of  honor  and 
character,  was  walking  with  a  professor,  of  a  winter's  day, 
outside  limits,  where  were  deep  snow-banks,  and  academy  rules 
forbade  cadets  to  be,  the  offense  punishable  with  great  severity. 
At  a  turn  of  the  road  suddenly  appeared  two  cadets,  who  so 
quickly  pulled  their  caps  over  their  faces  as  to  prevent  recog 
nition,  and  dove  between  the  legs  of  their  superiors,  tossing 
them  into  a  snow-bank  and  fled  to  quarters  before  the  as 
tounded  officers  could  get  out  to  pursue  and  recognize  them. 
A  cadet  cap  was  left  behind,  without  mark.  Inspection  of 
quarters  in  turn  found  every  cadet  with  a  cap,  and  the  offender 
was  not  traced.  Graduation  day,  the  superintendent,  General 
Cullum  (my  authority)  discovered  accidentally  the  offender, 
but  was  too  generous  and  appreciative  to  prevent  the  gradua 
tion  of  the  cadet,  who  became  an  officer  of  good  standing. 
Years  after,  at  a  consultation  during  the  war,  when  the  general- 
in-chief  sought  an  officer  of  quick  decision,  prompt  in  action, 
with  character  for  important  command  requiring  such  qualities, 
General  Cullum  said,  "I  know  the  very  man,"  named  the  officer 
who  had  thrown  him  in  the  snow-bank,  who  was  selected,  and 
fulfilled  the  expectations  foreshadowed  in  his  character  in 
younger  days.  The  incident  showed  keen  appreciation  on  the 
part  of  the  chief,  of  the  quick,  decided  character  of  the  cadet, 
and  was  alike  creditable  to  both.  If  we  violate  college  rules 
it  is  not  to  be  commended,  but  if  we  do  it,  it  must  be  without 
dishonor.  To  be  within  the  line  of  honor  we  must  never  leave 
it  behind.  It  is  like  a  mirror — clouded  with  a  breath. 

Milo,  the  athlete,  carried  the  calf  every  day,  and  thus  carried 
the  cow.  So  man  by  special  training  develops  muscle  and 
physical  force  for  particular  efforts  until  he  so  excels  that  none 
can  compete  with  him  save  those  giving  the  same  time  and  toil 
in  like  preparation.  Huge  muscles  and  superb  physique  will 
challenge  for  the  time  wonder  and  notoriety  mixed  with  a 
species  of  admiration ;  the  outward  evidence  is  most  visible,  yet 
this  is  ephemeral,  and  brings  no  other  confidence  or  respect  than 
that  given  to  endurance  and  toughness  useful,  perhaps,  in  a  free 
fight  or  self-defense.  With  disease  or  ailment  it  disappears, 
leaving  perhaps  less  of  strength  than  if  nature  had  not  been 
so  trained  and  forced. 

How  different,  where  by  constant  effort  and  self-control  in 
the  right  direction  character  is  developed.  No  strong  muscles 
protrude  in  the  physical  outline,  but  the  quiet  strength  of  force 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  289 

of  character  which  commands  respect,  which  gives  powerful 
influence  in  deliberation,  in  council,  which  commands  our  own 
self-respect,  grows  apace  and  becomes  a  power  and  ability  for 
good  work,  increases  and  strengthens.  Clearly  without_  physi 
cal  outline  to  catch  the  eye,  does  the  human  instinct  discover 
and  appreciate  the  power  and  force  of  character  which  we  can 
all  cultivate  and  perfect  for  ourselves. 

It  requires  no  herculean  effort,  no  Titanic  struggle,  but  sim 
ple,  manly,  honest  purpose  in  every  thought,  every  act,  every 
work,  to  keep  to  the  line  of  duty  and  the  right,  to  keep  to  the 
right  as  God  gives  us  to  see  it,  holding  to  a  sense  of  justice 
with  unchanging  integrity. 

How  the  world  loves  and  respects  the  man  who  thus  forms 
and  keeps  his  character,  and  how  he  respects  himself,  and  well 
he  may.  This  produces  fame  and  honor  that  strengthens  with 
age.  If  bodily  weakness  come,  the  force  of  character  brings 
sympathy  and  respect,  and  cheers  declining  years  with  golden 
hues  of  comfort. 

As  the  setting  sun  we  have  often  watched  from  the  college 
terrace  throws  its  golden,  glowing  rays  of  beauty  o'er  the 
scene  at  close  of  day,  so  when  the  close  of  life  comes  to  the 
man  of  character,  respect,  sympathy  and  kindly  words,  sweet 
est  and  best  of  laurels,  color  with  glorious  tint  the  end,  the 
grandeur  of  character  makes  a  life  worth  living  and  lives  on. 
"Tete  d'armee,"  said  Napoleon  in  the  supreme  moment  at  St. 
Helena.  "/  still  live,"  said  the  immortal  Webster  as  mortality 
ceased,  and  even  Hood,  with  his  unfailing  character  of  humor, 
closed  his  eyes  with  "Hood-ivinked  at  last."  How  instructive 
such  realization  and  strength  of  character,  that  can  engross  the 
powers  in  the  midst  of  dissolution  and  in  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  lovingly  cling  to  the  sinking  spirit. 

May  we  not  sum  up  character  as  the  one  fortune  which  may 
be  pursued  with  tireless  and  sinless  persistency,  looked  for 
always  in  the  trained  student  and  scholar.  His  course  is  a 
failure  if  he  reaches  not  the  summit  attained  by  so  many  dis 
tinct  paths. 

With  his  motto  '"Excelsior,"  he  will  never  fail  who  main 
tains  through  good  and  evil  report  with  self-respect  and  cheer 
ful  nature, 

First. — An  abiding  sense  of  duty. 

Second. — Implicit  reliance  on  hard  work  honestly  pursued, 
the  true  road  to  commendable  success  in  life  "Labor  omnia 
vincit." 

Add  to  these,  forbearance  with  all  in  every  intercourse,  judi- 


290 

cious  confidence  to  man,  neither  depressed  by  their  treachery 
nor  intoxicated  by  their  applause,  conciliation  rather  than  ag 
gression,  to  suffer  sooner  than  inflict  injustice,  moderation  and 
a  due  regard  for  the  rights  of  all,  that  silken  string  of  char 
acter  that  runs  through  the  pearl  chain  of  all  virtues. 

Last  and  always  cling  to  the  line  of  duty. 

Duty  in  that  leading  triangulation  that  covers  all  of  life. 

To  your  God,  your  country,  yourself  and  your  own. 

Of  itself  duty  is  a  comprehensive  term  that  would  expand 
into  a  volume. 

How  grandly  expressed  when  the  brave  Nelson  exclaimed 
to  his  sailors,  "England  expects  every  man  to  do  his  duty." 

If  it  seems  a  misty  word  all  vagueness  disappears  with 
thought  and  reason. 

Is  it  not  fidelity  to  principle,  to  truth  and  honor  through  life? 

To  all  true  men,  the  meaning  of  life  can  be  concentrated  in 
the  single  word  duty,  not  that  cold,  repellant  working  of  human 
nature  which  formulates  all  life's  conduct,  substitutes  rules 
for  emotions,  and  becomes  refined  selfishness,  but  the  honest, 
earnest  support  of  the  right  and  the  needful  with  genial 
warmth. 

Of  duty  to  country  in  the  past  our  Alma  Mater  has  a  record 
to  which  all  can  point  with  pride,  for  the  future  we  must 
be  mindful  of  our  political  duties,  a  practical  and  necessary 
part  of  life  and  work,  if  we  would  preserve  our  government. 
We  may,  we  must  go  to  the  fountain-head,  the  source  and  keep 
it  pure ;  the  ward  and  the  district  caucus,  the  sources  of  politi 
cal  power;  the  streams  will  be  pure  if  we  can  purify  the 
sources — and  they  need  it.  Duty  points  in  that  direction. 
We  may  ponder  the  truthful  words  of  that  graceful  master  of 
speech,  the  renowned  Chancellor  of  the  University  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  delivered  here  but  a  few  years  since,  in  Geo. 
Wm.  Curtis'  Chancellor's  address,  and  we  may  read  the  mar 
tyred  Garfield's  words  of  ''The  Duty  of  the  Scholar  in  Poli 
tics" — both  with  profit.  The  subject  is  too  vast  and  important 
for  other  allusion  here. 

The  abiding  sense  of  duty  to  God  and  trust  in  His  limitless 
love  has  been  well  and  truly  instilled  in  "Old  Union"  without 
cessation,  and  without  regard  to  creed  or  sect  for  nearly  a  cen 
tury,  and  with  God's  help  will  continue. 

For  ourselves,  let  us  with  the  gladness  of  true  heroism 
which  Tyndall  describes  as  visiting  the  hearts  of  those  really 
competent  to  say,  "I  court  truth,"  and  with  the  "honor  of 
honesty"  let  us  make  "Old  Union"  continue  to  win  and  hold, 


GENERAL    DAXIEL   BUTTERFIELD  291 

through  the  record  of  her  sons,  the  noble  name  and  place  she 
has  held  in  the  past  for  integrity  and  honor,  keeping  graven 
and  fresh  in  our  hearts  the  precious  shibboleth  of  Character 
and  Duty  as  the  real  and  true  success  of  life. 

It  shall  never  be  said  her  sons  were  wanting  in  either  while 
we  cherish  the  old  quatrain  and  live  by  it,  to  shed  lustre  on 
Alma  Mater: 

"Straight  is  the  line  of  duty, 
Curved  is  the  line  of  beauty. 
Follow  the  first  and  it  shall  be 
The  second  shall  ever  follow  thee." 

ADDRESS  TO  THE  THIRD  BRIGADE  ASSOCIATION. 
Washington,  D.  C.,  Sept.  21,  1892. 

Comrades:  It  is  an  unexpected  pleasure  to  meet  so  many 
veterans  of  our  Brigade,  one  of  the  first,  almost,  organized  in 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac — that  grand  old  army  of  devoted 
patriots  and  thorough  soldiers.  Around  the  old  Third  Bri 
gade  clusters  some  of  the  most  glorious  memories  of  the  war. 
Every  soldier  who  served  in  its  ranks  cherishes  a  hearty  love 
and  pride  for  it  and  its  history.  Hundreds  of  those  who  joined 
its  ranks  long  after  I  had  been  promoted  to  other  commands 
and  fields  of  duty,  have,  since  the  war,  touched  my  heart  in  a 
tender  spot,  when  they  spoke  of  the  Brigade,  and  coupled  my 
name  with  it  and  its  record,  as  though  I  had  always  been  with 
it,  and  of  it.  Well,  I  am  still.  Since  serving  with  the  Brigade, 
one  hundred  times  at  least,  in  travels  during  the  past  nearly 
thirty  years,  in  many  different  States  of  the  Union,  and  some 
times  abroad,  have  the  familiar  notes  of  the  Brigade  call  that 
I  gave  you  been  softly  whistled  at  me  from  a  railway  station  or 
a  roadside  by  some  one  of  our  comrades,  sometimes  in  doubt 
whether  they  really  saw  their  old  commander  and  whether  to 
speak  to  him.  The  call  never  failed  in  its  purpose ;  to  this 
day  I  recognize  and  answer  it,  as  you  did  of  old,  and  I  have 
long  since  forgotten  that — sometimes  you  used  to  sing  bad 
words  to  it  instead  of  my  name.  I  know  that  you  realize  the 
early  training  that  hurt  your  feelings,  but  built  up  your  legs, 
lungs  and  physique,  carried  you  triumphantly  through  many 
hardships  and  fatigue,  enabling  you  to  win  victories  such  as  re 
sulted  from  your  ability  to  seize  Little  Round  Top  by  your 
strength  and  spirit,  gained  in  this  early  training,  carrying  with 
it  such  hearts  and  courage.  While  during  the  later  years  of 
the  war  engaged  upon  other  and  distant  fields,  my  mind  con- 


292  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

tinually  reverted  to  the  work  and  success  of  the  gallant  Third 
Brigade,  First  Division,  Fifth  Corps,  that  I  had  taken  in  sepa 
rate,  raw  and  untrained  regiments,  and  drilled  and  led  during 
the  first  campaigns  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

My  coming  to  the  field  prepared  by  previous  training  and 
study  in  the  art  of  war,  was  due  to  a  careful  study  in  early 
youth  of  the  causes  that  led  up  to  the  war,  and  judgment  that 
the  clash  of  arms  must  be  the  result  of  the  irrepressible 
conflict  between  the  condition  of  freedom  and  slavery  in  the 
Republic.  There  came  to  mind  a  plain  duty  to  prepare  to  the 
best  of  my  ability  for  what  seemed  the  inevitable,  upon  every 
patriot  and  lover  of  his  country  who  had  any  desire  to  dis 
charge  his  duty.  I  was  laughed  at  and  jeered  for  my  ex 
planations,  made  privately  to  personal  friends.  You,  Com 
rades,  know  whether  I  was  right,  and  whether  that  sense  of 
duty  profited  anything.  It  forced  upon  me  duties  toward  you 
and  those  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  command,  through  the  knowledge 
of  the  tremendous  responsibilities  that  must  devolve  upon 
leaders  of,  and  in,  organized  armies,  in  order  to  carry  their 
work  forward  to  a  successful  termination. 

When  General  Porter,  at  the  Fifth  Army  Corps  Reunion, 
at  Orange,  N.  J.,  a  few  years  since,  in  a  heartfelt,  spontaneous 
speech,  eloquent  by  its  modesty  and  sincerity  rather  than  by 
force  or  study,  stated  to  the  assembled  veterans  of  the  Fifth 
Corps  that  our  Brigade  was  the  example  and  pattern  to  which 
the  corps  and  the  army,  or  most  of  it,  looked  to  learn  the  new 
duties  of  war,  my  heart  swelled  with  pride  and  pleasure  at  the 
thought  of  what  a  noble  set  of  men  I  had  the  good  fortune 
to  command,  and  how  superbly  they  responded  to  every  call, 
order,  duty  and  work,  which,  I  may  say  now,  here  in  our 
family  talk,  involved  more  work,  toil,  labor  and  thought  upon 
your  commander  than  any  man  under  him;  and  I  knew  and 
felt,  after  you  were  organized  and  trained,  that  you  would 
never  fail  in  any  duties,  never  win  anything  but  honor  and 
credit  as  a  Brigade.  Thank  God,  that  inspiration  was  sound 
and  justified.  Thank  you,  survivors  of  the  glorious  Third 
Brigade,  that  you  made  it  so,  and,  more  than  all,  thank  the 
brave  heroes,  the  gallant,  true  men  of  the  old  Brigade,  who 
gave  their  lives  in  the  strife  of  battles  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  It  needed  not  that  great  sacrifice  to  prove  what 
they  were.  The  heart  softens  and  throbs,  the  eyes  moisten, 
and  sadness  comes,  even  at  this  late  day,  when  we  think  of 
them.  We  can  never  forget  them.  Oh!  what  superb  and 
grand  men  they  were.  McLane,  of  the  Eighty-third,  who  fell 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  293 

at  Games'  Mill,  a  sterling  man  and  soldier.  Vincent,  also  of 
the  Eighty-third,  who  fell  on  Little  Round  Top,  in  command 
of  the  Brigade;  a  cultivated  scholar,  handsome,  brave,  mag 
netic,  one  could  love  him  as  a  woman,  so  sweet,  so  gentle,  so 
true  with  all.  His  dying  words  and  courage  in  death  at 
Gettysburg  can  never  be  effaced  from  my  memory,  where,  my 
self  wounded,  I  was  carried  to  him  with  the  hope  to  cheer  him 
by  news  of  his  promotion,  received  from  Washington  by  tele 
graph,  for  his  gallantry.  The  brave  Rice,  of  the  Forty-fourth, 
who  fell  in  the  Wilderness ;  Fisher  and  Burton  at  Games'  Mill, 
Chamberlain  at  Bull  Run,  Hoagland  at  Fredericksburg,  Woods 
at  Weldon  Railroad,  of  the  Twelfth;  Welch,  Elliott,  Mott, 
Jewett,  and  other  daring  spirits  of  the  Sixteenth  Michigan ; 
Blauvelt  and  Wilson  of  the  Seventeenth,  killed  at  Bull  Run ; 
Morrill,  Keene,  Billings  and  Linscott,  of  the  Twentieth  Maine, 
who  fell  at  Gettysburg;  the  gallant  Perkins,  of  the  Fiftieth 
New  York,  killed  at  Fredericksburg.  But  I  cannot  go  on 
with  all  the  names.  I  would  that  each  regiment  in  the  Bri 
gade,  in  their  regimental  organizations,  would  see  that  a  suit 
able  tribute  is  paid  to  each  and  every  one,  and  these  tributes 
all  assembled  and  distributed  to  all  survivors  of  the  Brigade. 

There  are  many  stirring  incidents  in  the  Brigade's  history 
which  I  hope  you  will  work  out  and  show  to  all  the  men  and 
their  descendants.  One  of  its  regiments  was  ordered  to  lead 
the  first  advance  across  the  Long  Bridge  into  Virginia,  and 
two  companies  of  the  same  men  and  regiment  were  among 
those  who  received  the  arms  and  colors  of  Lee's  soldiers  at 
Appomattox.  The  Brigade  captured  the  first  guns  in  battle 
captured  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  at  Hanover  Court 
House,  and  received  the  last  shot  fired  from  the  enemy's  guns 
at  Appomattox.  The  ability  of  the  Brigade  to  move,  by  its 
superior  training  and  efficiency,  enabled  it  to  reach  and  hold 
Round  Top  at  Gettysburg.  Who  shall  measure  what  that 
means?  I  confess,  with  proud  satisfaction,  that  I  glory  in 
having  organized,  drilled  and  trained  for  war,  and  commanded 
in  war,  until  promoted  from  it,  a  brigade  that  never  once  failed 
in  the  full  discharge  of  its  duty,  never  behind  time,  always 
ready,  and  always  held  its  own;  never  had  a  discreditable  nor 
dishonorable  act  nor  stain  of  the  slightest  kind  upon  its  colors, 
nor  that  of  any  of  its  regiments.  When  we  recall  the  courage, 
the  skill  and  valor  of  our  enemy,  their  spirit  as  Americans — 
our  own  countrymen — no  longer  our  enemies  and  always  our 
countrymen,  the  work  you  have  done  is  better  appreciated  and 
of  higher  credit.  Yes,  it  is  with  more  than  satisfaction — it  is 


294  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

with  a  sense  of  devotion  and  thankfulness  your  hearty  cheers 
and  warm  welcome  comes  to  me,  standing  here  to-day  in  the 
presence  of  so  many  men  of  our  old  Brigade.  It  will  afford 
me  very  great  pleasure  to  take  every  one  of  you  by  the  hand 
and  express  to  you  the  hope  that  your  lives  may  be  pleasant, 
prosperous  and  happy.  It  is  a  joy  to  us  to  see  the  changed 
condition  of  affairs,  from  thirty  years  ago,  here  in  Washington. 
What  an  object  lesson  of  patriotism  and  devotion!  Then  the 
men  arrived,  responding  to  their  country's  call,  marching  to 
the  front,  and  now  the  remnants  of  that  grand  army,  marching 
under  the  same  colors,  responding  to  their  comrades'  call,  at 
their  own  cost,  from  long  distances  to  the  capital  they  helped 
to  save,  in  a  spirit  of  comradeship  and  friendly  feeling  glorious 
in  itself.  God  bless  you  all ! 

RUSSIA  AS  IT  IS. 

Part  of  a  Lecture  Delivered  Before  the  Sigma  Phi  Society, 
New  York,  April  9,  1894. 

Somewhat  impressed  with  the  general  idea  that  has  been 
spread  through  our  country,  that  the  present  Emperor  of  Rus 
sia  was  half  the  time  frightened  out  of  all  enjoyment  of  life, 
going  about  watching  for  a  bullet  shot  from  behind  every  cor 
ner,  and  expecting  to  find  dynamite  beneath  every  vehicle  he 
steps  into,  pale,  trembling  and  nervous;  that  the  great  popu 
lation  he  governed  disliked  him;  that  hundreds  and  thousands 
of  them  stood  in  constant  fear  of  a  sudden  arrest  or  "lettre 
de  cachet,"  giving  the  police  power  to  walk  into  their  homes 
and  take  them  off  to  inconceivable  horrors  and  punishments 
in  Siberia,  without  trial  or  hearing,  I  determined  to  spare  no 
effort  to  discover  for  myself  what  amount  of  truth  there  was 
in  this  idea  given  out  by  English  and  Germans  to  foreigners, 
and  by  many  believed.  I  sought  information  from  all  reliable 
sources.  My  inquiries  were  as  searching  as  I  could  make 
them. 

The  results  are,  perhaps,  best  condensed  by  repeating  a  con 
versation  had  with  a  most  intelligent  man  in  Moscow.  Though 
born  in  Sweden  he  had  lived  from  childhood  in  Russia,  and  was 
engaged  in  business  there;  spoke  English  and  Russian  with 
equal  facility,  a  perfect  master  of  both  languages,  an  observ 
ing  man  of  about  fifty  years  of  age,  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
all  the  laws,  usages,  reports  and  customs  of  the  Empire. 

Asking  him,  "My  friend,  now  tell  me  about  Russia,"  he 
replied :  "Though  sometimes  considered  a  foreigner  from 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  295 

speaking  English,  I  have  lived  here  all  my  life,  Russian  being 
learned  with  English  when  I  first  learned  to  speak  at  all. 

"Here  in  Moscow  there  are  about  one  hundred  families  of 
English-speaking  people,  and  there  are  as  many  cliques  among 
them  as  it  is  possible  to  imagine." 

Interrupting  him:  "Never  mind  about  the  English-speak 
ing  people — tell  me  all  about  the  Russians.  Tell  me  if  it  is 
true  that  one  may  be  rudely  disturbed  at  home  by  the  entrance 
of  an  official  and  without  notice  taken  off  and  promptly  sent  to 
Siberia  to  be  put  in  chains,  starved  and  brutally  punished  with 
out  trial,  etc.?" 

His  reply  was :  "How  ridiculous !  Sheer  and  absolute 
nonsense !  No  man  is  arrested  in  Russia  without  a  charge  and 
warrant,  for  any  offense,  and  not  before  the  authorities  have 
ample  proof  that  there  is  honesty  in  the  charges  against  him; 
and  woe  be  to  the  man  who  makes  false  charges,  for  he  will 
most  assuredly  suffer  more  than  the  man  whom  he  would  have 
persecuted.  In  any  civil  process  at  law  it  is  very  difficult  to 
cause  a  man  to  be  arrested;  the  evidence  must  be  very  clear." 

"Have  you  such  protection  against  criminal  charges  as  we 
have  in  the  Grand  Jury?" 

"There  is,"  he  replied,  "a  protection  against  imprisonment, 
trial  and  false  arrest  stronger  than  the  Grand  Jury,  in  the  great 
danger  to  an  accuser  if  his  charges  are  not  sustained." 

To  the  inquiry,  "If  a  man  is  brought  before  a  judge  similar 
to  a  magistrate  in  England  or  the  United  States,  is  he  ever 
condemned,  sent  off  and  punished  without  being  heard?"  he 
answered:  "On  the  contrary,  the  protection  to  any  person 
accused  is  greater  here  than  in  England  or  America.  There 
are  three  or  four  appeals.  To  give  you  an  instance  of  imperial 
justice,  a  woman  was  arrested  and  tried  for  complicity  in  an 
attempt  to  assassinate  the  Emperor.  The  evidence  failed  to 
convict  her,  and  she  was  acquitted.  After  her  acquittal  the 
police  discovered  new  evidence  which  they  considered  strong 
enough  to  assure  her  conviction,  but  the  Emperor  positively 
refused  to  allow  her  to  be  arrested.  After  she  had  been  once 
tried  he  would  not  allow  her  to  be  arraigned  again  for  the 
same  offense.  All  offenses  of  the  nature  of  assassination,  at 
tempts  to  destroy  the  government,  etc.,  are  tried  by  military 
courts  in  the  same  manner  as  military  courts  under  martial 
law  in  the  United  States  or  in  time  of  war  in  England.  These 
offenses  against  the  stability  of  the  government  or  the  throne 
are  tried  in  this  way,  and  a  perfect  and  complete  record  is  kept. 
The  government  makes  no  effort  to  kill  people  or  make  them 


296  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

useless  members  of  society.  Those  who  are  sent  to  Siberia  are 
sent  to  a  country  no  worse — perhaps  better — than  the  north 
western  portions  of  the  United  States  or  Canada,  a  country 
where  they  may  be  free  to  live  as  they  please,  and  become,  if 
they  will,  useful  members  of  society." 

Many  inquiries  made  of  people  who  had  no  particular  rea 
sons  to  speak  well  of  Russia  confirmed  the  belief  that  the  state 
ments  of  Russian  despotism  and  cruelty  are  wildly  exagger 
ated.  Now,  as  to  the  Emperor  being  a  pale,  nervous  and 
frightened  man,  he  is  6  feet  4  inches  high,  weighing  about 
three  hundred  pounds  and  in  a  perfect  state  of  health;  a  most 
genial,  pleasant  countenance,  a  hearty,  kindly  expression,  an 
American  hand-shake,  and  looks  about  as  much  disturbed  and 
uncomfortable  as  any  of  you  gentlemen  might  do  when  you 
are  walking  down  to  dinner  or  enjoying  your  post-prandial 
cigar. 

On  two  or  three  occasions  when  we  saw  him  he  might  have 
been  killed  a  hundred  times  if  the  people  were  disposed  to  do 
it.  In  riding  by  the  troops  of  his  army  such  a  welcome  as  was 
given  him  by  the  shouts  of  the  men  I  have  never  seen  extended 
to  any  officer  or  soldier  in  all  my  military  experience. 

Riding  close  to  the  lines  one  could  read  in  the  eyes  and  in 
the  expression  on  the  faces  of  the  soldiers  admiration  and  love 
for  their  Emperor.  That  he  was  a  most  thorough  soldier  any 
one  accustomed  to  troops  and  to  officers  could  at  once  discover. 
There  was  an  entire  absence  of  any  sort  of  manner  or  bearing 
that  would  indicate  a  consciousness  of  the  immense  power  and 
strength  of  his  position. 

His  face  reminded  me  strongly — it  was  almost  a  reproduc 
tion — even  to  the  color  of  eyes  and  beard,  of  Gen.  George  H. 
Thomas.  His  head  was  shaped  above  the  forehead  much  like 
General  Burnside. 

The  knowledge  of  Russia's  kindly  acts  and  feelings  toward 
the  United  States  had  caused  me  particular  anxiety  to  know  all 
I  could  of  such  matters.  I  found  everywhere  anxiety  to  in 
crease  friendly  relations  and  commerce  with  our  country. 

Recalling  the  action  of  the  Russian  Emperor,  Alexander  II, 
father  of  the  present  Emperor,  which  I  learned  over  twenty 
years  ago  from  my  friend,  Governor  Curtin,  of  Pennsylvania, 
who  was  our  Minister  at  the  Russian  court  at  the  time  the 
occurrence  took  place,  let  me  repeat  it.  This  instance  is  a  re 
markable  one  in  that  a  different  course  of  the  Emperor  might 
have  changed  very  much  affairs  in  this  country.  It  had  been 
considered  and  decided  by  England  and  France,  with  the  quiet 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  297 

assent  of  minor  powers,  that  with  Russia's  consent  the  South 
ern  Confederacy  should  be  recognized  and  our  blockade 
raised.  The  French  Ambassador  at  St.  Petersburg  was  in 
trusted  with  the  duty  of  placing  the  subject  before  the  Em 
peror  Alexander  II,  and  asking  him  to  join  England  and 
France  or  remain  neutral.  Napoleon  III  was  anxious  it  should 
be  done  to  secure  Maximilian  the  throne  of  Mexico  and  over 
turn  the  Mexican  Republic,  which  was  to  be  his  reward. 

The  French  diplomat  could  not  feel  certain  of  Russia's 
position  without  a  personal  interview  with  the  Emperor.  This 
being  granted,  the  diplomat,  with  all  his  skill  and  courtesy,  laid 
before  him  the  proposal.  Listening  with  great  patience  to  the 
entire  scheme,  although  well  aware  of  it  beforehand,  Alexan 
der  II  spoke  in  reply  thus : 

"Our  empire  and  people  have  always  been  friends  of  the 
United  States.  That  government  has  always  chosen  Russia  as 
its  arbitrator  and  friend.  They  are  now  disposing  of  a  grave 
question  by  a  terrible  war.  We  have  a  similar  question  to 
meet  which  we  hope  to  settle  without  bloodshed.  Their  cause 
is  my  cause,  and  when  England  and  France  take  the  proposed 
step  you  can  say  to  those  who  sent  you  that  my  forces  will  be 
at  the  service  of  the  United  States.  To-night  the  fleets  of 
Russia  will  be  ordered  into  the  ports  of  New  York  and  San 
Francisco,  and,  in  order  that  there  may  be  no  mistake,  with 
sealed  orders  to  that  effect,  to  open  in  case  of  such  action  by 
your  powers." 

England  and  France  quickly  abandoned  their  proposed 
scheme. 

While  this  was  going  on  Mr.  Bigelow,  representing  the 
United  States  at  Paris,  constantly  advised  Mr.  Seward,  Secre 
tary  of  State,  of  the  purpose  of  France  and  England.  Mr. 
Seward,  advised  by  our  Minister  at  St.  Petersburg  of  the  Em 
peror  of  Russia's  position,  replied  to  Mr.  Bigelow :  "Have  no 
uneasiness;  if  France  takes  such  a  step  she  will  find  herself 
in  the  embrace  of  a  northern  bear  of  great  power,"  alluding  to 
the  favorite  nomenclature  of  Russia.  It  gives  reason  for  much 
speculation  as  to  what  the  case  might  have  been  if  the  Em 
peror  of  Russia  had  acted  otherwise. 

That  the  Emperor's  feeling  was  that  of  his  subjects  was 
manifest.  The  Russian  fleet  was  anchored  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands  when  news  came  of  the  surrender  at  Appomattox.  The 
fleet  weighed  anchor,  proceeded  three  miles  out  to  sea,  so  that 
they  were  beyond  jurisdiction  or  criticism  of  the  local  power, 
insignificant  as  it  was,  hoisted  the  Stars  and  Stripes  and  fired 


298  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

a  salute  of  one  hundred  guns  in  honor  of  our  victory,  and  re 
turned  to  their  anchorage. 

Can  Americans  ever  forget  this?  The  purchase  of  Alaska 
was  long  after  this  and  not  precedent  to  it.  History  has  no 
record  of  a  grander  or  more  sublime  act  than  Alexander  IPs 
Edict  of  Liberty ;  no  one  can  look  at  the  present  Emperor,  and 
knowing  the  difficulties  and  responsibilities  of  his  position  but 
with  wonder  at  his  courage,  ability  and  self-possession.  He 
will  bravely  and  surely  maintain  the  name  and  fame  of  the 
Romanoffs. 

Let  me  tell  you  what  a  most  intelligent,  able  and  educated 
man,  an  officer  of  repute  in  our  army  during  the  late  war  says. 
This  gentleman,  Russian  by  birth  and  education,  a  citizen  of 
the  United  States  for  thirty  years,  and  upon  introduction  of  a 
joint  resolution  to  present  him  with  a  gold  medal,  Senator 
Wade  Hampton,  from  the  Committee  on  Military  Affairs,  said 
of  him :  "The  highest  testimonials  as  to  his  daring,  his  gal 
lantry  and  his  sacrifices  are  on  file,  and  the  Committee  express 
their  appreciation  of  his  devotion  to  the  Union  cause,  in  which 
he  signally  distinguished  himself."  Certainly  Americans 
should  well  consider  his  remarks  before  committing  themselves 
in  thought  or  action  on  the  subject. 

My  desire  is  simply  to  claim  justice  for  Russia  and  to  add 
my  mite  toward  preventing  ill-feeling  between  that  Govern 
ment  and  ours.  Their  relations  have  always  been  friendly,  and 
to-day  Americans  and  American  merchandise  are  more  wel 
come  in  Russia  than  the  people  or  merchandise  of  any  other 
country. 

Of  extremists,  Anarchists  and  Nihilists,  he  says :  "The 
mischief  wrought  in  many  of  the  so-called  free  nations  of  Eu 
rope  and  the  constant  dread  aroused  by  their  presence  should 
induce  Americans  to  hesitate  and  carefully  consider  before 
condemning  Russia  for  the  vigorous  precautionary  measures 
she  has  been  forced  to  use  in  keeping  them  from  carrying  out 
their  horrible  designs.  That  Anarchism  and  Nihilism  are 
'chips  off  the  same  block'  has  long  been  patent  to  all  who  looked 
into  the  subject,  and  is  now  quite  generally  admitted. 

"I  have  known  the  reigning  Czar,  Alexander  III,  almost 
since  his  infancy,  and  he  is  one  of  the  most  accomplished,  lib 
eral  and  enlightened  monarchs  that  ever  sat  upon  a  throne. 
He  constantly  studies  the  welfare  of  his  people,  is  high-minded, 
humane,  gentle  and  kind,  and  continually  strives  to  ascertain 
the  needs  of  his  subjects,  and  even  now  stands  ready  to  adopt 
whatever  system  of  government  would  be  most  conducive  to 


299 

the  welfare  of  Russia.  For  these  qualities  he  is  almost  wor 
shipped  by  the  people,  notwithstanding  all  reports  to  the 
contrary. 

"There  is  another  reason  which  Americans  should  know  why 
writers  on  Russia  are  prone  to  deal  in  falsehood  and  misrepre 
sentation.  It  is  good  policy  for  Russia's  rivals  to  induce  them 
to  do  so.  It  helps  to  array  public  opinion  on  their  side,  and 
they  evidently  knew  this  too  well." 

Mr.  Kennan,  in  his  Century  article,  speaks  of  the  woman, 
Vera  Finger.  Of  this  woman  this  gentleman  says :  "I  am 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  career  of  Vera  Finger.  She 
was  convicted  of  the  murder  of  no  less  than  six  innocent  per 
sons,  and  caught  attempting  to  assassinate  the  seventh.  When 
asked  what  was  her  motive,  she  replied :  'I  am  a  Nihilist,  and 
believe  that  God  is  a  lie,  right  a  lie,  property  a  lie,  marriage  a 
lie,  and  that  all  governments  are  lies.  Unless  we  destroy  all 
these  childish  beliefs  which  the  human  race  inherits  there  can 
be  no  peace.'  Who  will  deny  that  if  Vera  Finger  had  lived  in 
any  other  country  in  the  world  she  would  have  expiated  her 
crimes  on  the  gallows,  instead  of  leading  an  indolent  life  as  a 
colonist  ?" 

Mr.  Lothrop,  our  late  Minister  to  Russia,  says,  "that  the 
people  there  are  enjoying  liberty  and  freedom  similar  to  that 
of  any  other  country,  and  that  he  saw  none  of  those  persecu 
tions  mentioned  by  Mr.  Kennan,  and  that  he  told  him  so  in 
St.  Petersburg." 

The  criminal  law  of  Russia,  of  which  we  hear  so  much  un 
favorable  and  unjust  criticism,  is  nothing  more  than  the  Code 
Napoleon,  with  a  few  minor  changes.  The  charge  that  its 
administration  is  harsh  and  tyrannical  is  a  libel  on  the  judiciary 
of  the  Empire,  which  has  been  the  first  of  the  great  nations 
to  abolish  the  death  penalty.  There  is  no  capital  punishment 
in  Russia,  except  in  aggravated  cases  of  high  treason,  such  as 
attempts  upon  the  life  of  the  Czar.  The  impartiality  with 
which  the  law  is  enforced  is  proverbial.  Prince  and  peasant 
are  equally  punished  for  equal  offenses,  and  the  rigor  with 
which  the  former  are  handled  for  transgression  against  the 
law  is  a  matter  of  history. 

Russia  is  much  larger  in  area  than  the  United  States,  and 
has  a  population  of  nearly  100,000,000,  made  up  of  many  dis 
tinct  races  and  tribes,  speaking  as  many  languages,  differing  in 
habits,  religion  and  mode  of  life,  and  in  many  cases  having 
been  age-long  enemies.  Any  one  acquainted  with  the  history 
of  its  rapid  rise  and  progress  will  readily  acknowledge  that  the 


300  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Romanoff  dynasty  has  built  substantially  and  solidly  with  dis 
organized  and  discordant  material,  elevating  the  people  from 
their  original  barbarism  into  prosperous  citizens  of  the  great 
empire  of  to-day.  And  all  this  has  been  accomplished  under 
the  present  form  of  government.  Americans  may  look  upon 
such  a  demand  as  most  reasonable,  but  if  they  understand  the 
situation  and  look  at  it  from  the  standpoint  of  a  patriotic  Rus 
sian  they  will  readily  see  their  mistake.  There  is  no  demand 
among  the  great  mass  of  Russian  people  for  such  a  change. 

Suppose  a  constitutional  government  had  been  established 
before  the  liberation  of  the  serfs,  could  the  deeply  lamented 
Alexander  II  have  been  able  to  free  26,000,000  of  them? 
When  we  recall  how  much  blood  and  treasure  were  expended  to 
secure  the  freedom  of  only  4,000,000  of  people  in  the  United 
States  we  can  form  some  idea  of  what  the  undertaking  would 
have  been  in  Russia. 

There,  instead  of  only  a  South,  as  we  had,  slavery  extended 
over  the  whole  Empire,  and  the  Parliament  would  have  been 
fully  controlled  by  slave-owners.  The  aristocracy  and  landed 
proprietors  would  have  been  masters  of  the  situation  without 
fear  of  interference,  and  they  would  have  taken  care  not  to 
allow  their  slaves  to  be  freed.  This  great  act  of  the  so-called 
despotic  Government  of  Russia  ought  to  outweigh  nearly  all 
the  charges  made  by  its  enemies. 

Do  Americans  understand  the  sort  of  constitutional  govern 
ment  the  Nihilists  wish  to  establish  in  Russia? 

M.  Herzen,  the  famous  Nihilist,  is  regarded  as  an  example 
of  the  more  moderate  Nihilists.  I  inquired  why  a  man  of  his 
accomplishments  and  education  could  accept  and  advocate  the 
doctrines  of  Bakumin  and  Lavroff  (the  originators  of  Nihilists 
and  Anarchists).  He  promptly  replied:  "They  taught 
truths  which  the  world  must  accept."  But  I  said  those  doc 
trines  would  cause  chaos  and  disastrous  revolution,  as  they 
conflict  with  all  the  tenets  upon  which  the  existing  organiza 
tion  of  society  depends. 

"Chaos  and  revolution  are  just  what  we  want,"  remarked 
M.  Herzen  complacently. 

Where  do  you  expect  the  first  fruits  of  your  teaching,  I 
asked  next;  in  England  or  in  France?  "In  neither,"  was  his 
prompt  reply.  He  then  went  into  a  lengthy  explanation,  the 
burden  of  which  was  that  the  hope  of  all  his  class  was  cen 
tered  in  the  United  States,  where  the  police  do  not  prevent  the 
active  propagation  of  their  theories,  and  where  they  anticipate 
a  greatly  enlarged  field  in  a  few  years.  In  New  York,  Chi- 


General   Butterfield  in  1895 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  301 

cago,  Buffalo,  New  Orleans,  St.  Louis,  San  Francisco,  and  all 
the  larger  cities,  he  said  they  were  well  organized,  and  expected 
to  grow  far  more  rapidly. 

When  I  spoke  about  the  difficulty  of  convincing  people  that 
the  anarchistic  theories  would  do  all  that  he  claimed  for  them, 
he  ironically  declared  that  the  time  was  near  at  hand  "when 
those  who  were  so  dull  would  be  caged  up  like  wild  beasts  and 
kept  as  living  curiosities." 

On  a  railway  coach,  while  making  the  trip  from  Berlin  to 
London,  last  year,  I  chanced  to  have  as  my  traveling  com 
panion  one  of  that  class  of  Nihilists  who  had  grown  too  impor 
tant  to  the  cause  to  be  allowed  to  remain  in  Russia.  In  order 
to  get  his  honest  opinion  I  pretended  to  be  in  ignorance  about 
Nihilistic  movements  in  Russia,  and  to  be  sadly  in  need  of 
information  as  to  its  aims  and  objects.  He  went  over  the  en 
tire  ground  with  me,  explaining  that  they  did  not  desire  such 
constitutional  government  as  those  of  France  and  England. 
That  of  the  United  States  would  be  good,  but  not  good  enough. 
The  American  constitution,  as  my  Nihilistic  companion  under 
stood  it,  was  simply  that  all  men  are  equal — no  judges,  no 
courts  and  no  prisons.  The  Government  was  carried  on  by  a 
committee  of  comrades,  whose  chief  duty  was  to  make  the  capi 
talists  disgorge  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor. 

Is  it  not  for  Americans  to  stop  and  think  before  they  uncon 
sciously  aid  the  enemies  of  Russia  to  accomplish  their  pur 
pose  in  the  endeavor  to  break  the  bonds  of  sympathy  and  kind 
ness  existing  for  good  reasons  for  so  many  years  between  Rus 
sia  and  the  United  States? 

How  few  Americans  know  the  fact  that  all  high  officials  of 
the  Russian  Government  must  recognize  the  supremacy  of  the 
Almighty  and  the  divinity  of  Christ  by  an  affirmative  positive 
act,  at  least  once  a  year,  in  taking  the  Holy  Communion  at  the 
altar  of  any  Christian  Church — not  necessarily  the  Greek 
Church — only  it  must  be  a  Christian  Church :  Presbyterian, 
Methodist,  Baptist,  Roman,  Episcopalian — whichever  he  pre 
fers.  This  is  not  a  government  to  be  lightly  judged  by  Nihilist 
or  sensational  accusations. 

THE  LAST  CHARGE  AT  FREDERICKSBURG. 

BY  COLONEL  EDWARD  HILL. 

This  paper  does  not  purpose  to  treat  of  the  battle  of  Freder- 
icksburg  as  a  whole,  but  that  part  of  it  only  pertaining  to  the 
persistent  assaults  on  Marye's  Heights,  in  which  the  Third, 
Brigade,  First  Division,  Fifth  Corps,  participated,  where  40,- 


302  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

ooo  veterans  of  Sumner's  and  Hooker's  Grand  Divisions,  led 
by  able  and  tried  commanders,  were  hurled  against  a  position 
so  strongly  fortified  by  nature  and  art,  that  5,000  troops  oi 
Longstreet's  Corps,*  aided  by  a  tremendous  artillery  fire, 
easily  repulsed  these  well-organized  columns  with  a  loss  oi 
nearly  8,000  to  the  Federals,  while  the  enemy  lost  less  than 

2,000.  f 

Federal  and  Confederate  writers  have  furnished  brilliant  and 
historic  articles  describing  with  minuteness  these  operations, 
the  formations,  attacks  and  repulses  of  the  eighteen  Brigades, 
comprising  French's,  Hancock's,  Howard's,  Sturges',  Hum 
phrey's,  Getty's  and  Griffin's  Divisions,  that  took  part  in  the 
assaults  on  the  afternoon  of  December  13,  1862 ;  excepting  the 
gallant  work  of  the  Third  Brigade,  Griffin's  Division,  that  made 
the  last  charge  and  held  the  last  foot  of  ground  obtained  in  the 
enemy's  front,  until  the  army  had  recrossed  the  Rappahan- 
nock.  This  omission  is  undoubtedly  due  to  the  fact  that  this 
Brigade  was  the  reserve  of  its  division,  and  charged  unsup 
ported,  in  the  darkness,  with  only  the  blazing  light  of  mus 
ketry  and  artillery  to  guide  it.  Moreover,  only  one  incom 
plete  regimental  report,  Colonel  Vincent's,  detailing  the  move 
ments  of  this  Brigade,  is  published  in  the  "Records  of  the  War 
of  the  Rebellion." 

Every  Brigade  engaged  in  these  memorable  assaults,  whether 
in  daylight  or  darkness,  deserves  to  live  in  history,  its  com 
mander  remembered  as  a  hero,  to  whose  gallantry  and  bravery 
the  soldier  of  the  future  may  ever  be  referred  with  patriotic 
pride.  General  Hooker,  as  well  as  General  Butterfield,  before 
ordering  in  the  Fifth  Corps,  made  a  careful  reconnaissance  of 
the  field  and  decided  that  the  enemy's  position  could  be  car 
ried  only  by  the  bayonet,  if  at  all.  The  order  was  therefore 
given  to  carry  the  Heights  by  the  bayonet.  [See  General  But- 
terfield's  report,  Fifth  Army  Corps.] 

General  Butterfield  reports  "the  assaults  of  Humphrey's  and 
Griffin's  Divisions  were  made  with  a  spirit  and  efficiency 
scarcely,  if  ever,  equalled  in  the  records  of  this  war.  .  .  . 

*See  report  of  Confederate  General  Ransom,  Longstreet's  Corps,  that 
says:  "Before  the  town  there  was  not  engaged,  all  told,  on  our  part, 
more  than  5,000." 

[But,  including  supports  and  reserves,  the  enemy's  forces  numbered 
11,000  men.] 

t Actual  Federal  Losses.— Second  Corps,  4,114;  Fifth  Corps,  2,175;  Ninth 
Corps,  1,303;  Third  Corps,  129;  total,  7,721. 

Confederate  Losses. — McLaw's  Division,  858;  Ransom's  Division,  535; 
Hood's  Division,  251;  Anderson's  Division,  159;  Picket's  Division,  54; 
Washington  Artillery,  26;  Alexander's  Battalion,  11;  total,  1,894. 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  303 

But  the  attack  was  made  against  a  position  so  advantageous 
and  strong  to  the  enemy  that  it  failed.  General  Humphrey's 
Division  having  been  repulsed,  fell  back.  General  Griffin 
fell  back."* 

The  First  and  Second  Brigades  of  Griffin's  Division  on  the 
right  had,  in  turn,  moved  forward  and  been  driven  back  be 
hind  the  cover  afforded  by  the  crest  of  the  knoll,  and  the  Bri 
gades  of  Getty  on  the  left  had  fallen  back  behind  the  Orange 
Railway  cutting  before  the  Third  Brigade,  under  command  of 
Colonel  Stockton,  was  ordered  to  fix  bayonets  for  the  charge. 

After  crossing  the  Rappahannock  over  the  lower  bridge,  at 
4.30  p.  m.,  the  Brigade  took  position  700  yards  from  the  river, 
occupying  the  lower  part  of  Prince  Edward  Street,  its  left  ex 
tending  100  yards  southward  and  in  front  of  the  Richmond, 
Fredericksburg  and  Potomac  Railway  Station.  Here,  for  one 
hour  and  a  half,  it  was  subjected  to  a  pelting  fire  of  shot  and 
shell,  while  Humphrey's  Division  and  the  First  and  Second 
Brigades  of  Griffin's  Division  on  the  right  and  Getty's  Division 
on  the  left  were  making  determined  but  ineffectual  assaults 
upon  Marye's  Heights  and  the  Sunken  Road. 

Hooker,  indignant  at  Burnside's  want  of  strategy,  had  vainly 
protested  against  further  sacrifice  of  life.  Butterfield,  calm, 
methodical  and  determined,  with  three  of  his  orderlies  shot 
upon  the  field,  had  pronounced  the  enemy's  position  impreg 
nable  to  the  forces  operating  against  its  front.  Yet  the  gen 
eral  commanding,  from  his  headquarters  at  the  Phillips  House, 
across  the  river,  demanded  that  Marye's  Heights  should  be 
carried  by  storm,  or,  in  case  of  failure,  he  would  capture  them 
on  the  following  morning,  by  leading  in  person  a  charge  with 
eighteen  regiments  of  the  Ninth  Corps. 

Such  were  the  conditions  when  at  six  o'clock  and  twenty 
minutes  the  bugles  of  the  Third  Brigade  sounded  the  call  for 
the  last  assault.  The  sun  had  set  at  four  o'clock  and  forty- 
two  minutes,  and  it  was  now  night.  The  plain  in  front  of 
Marye's  Heights  was  further  obscured  with  clouds  of  smoke, 
through  which  shone  the  luminous  light  of  the  Federal  bat 
teries  and  musketry,  kindling  into  sheets  of  flame  as  it  almost 
united  with  the  enemy's  fire  flashing  from  the  Sunken  Road 
and  Marye's  and  Willis'  Hills,  while  the  fire  from  the  ridges 
and  along  Hazel  Run  enveloped  our  left  flank.  So  terror-in 
spiring  was  the  time  under  this  arc  of  flame  that  affrighted 
field  birds  alighted  upon  the  uniforms  of  men,  seeking  shelter 

•Mention  is  made  here  of  the  First  and  Second  Brigades  of  Griffin's 
Division  only. 


304  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

and  protection  in  closer  contact  with  their  more  cruel  masters 
— man. 

As  the  signal  for  the  advance  sounded  the  Brigade  pushed 
forward  its  lines  of  battle  in  the  following  order :  The  Seven 
teenth  and  Twelfth  Regiments,  New  York  Volunteers,  the 
Twentieth  Maine  and  Forty-fourth  New  York  Regiments,  the 
Eighty-third  Pennsylvania  and  Sixteenth  Michigan  Regiments, 
with  Brady's  Sharpshooters  attached,  covering  the  ground 
from  the  terminus  of  Charlotte  Street  on  the  right  and  beyond 
the  railway  on  the  left.  Directly  confronting  the  Brigade 
was  the  mill  race.  This  sluiceway,  running  the  entire  length 
of  the  rear  of  Fredericksburg,  separating  the  town  from  the 
upland,  had  been  flooded  by  the  enemy,  and  at  this  point  was 
twenty  feet  wide,  from  two  to  four  feet  deep,  and  unbridged. 
Plunging  through  this  waterway  under  a  furious  fire  was  a 
serious  hindrance,  breaking  the  conformation  of  the  ranks. 
Reaching  the  first  crest  beyond  the  mill-race,  a  halt  was  or 
dered  and  alignments  made;  Colonel  Welch,  commanding  the 
Sixteenth  Michigan,  took  occasion  to  deliver  a  short  and 
spirited  address  to  his  men,  as  companies  came  into  position 
with  a  precision  as  if  forming  for  dress  parade.  Colonel  Vin 
cent,  of  the  Eighty-third  Pennsylvania,  halted  his  regiment  to 
bring  forward  two  companies  confused  by  the  railway  cutting. 
On  the  right  the  gallant  Captain,  William  H.  Hoagland,  of  the 
Twelfth  New  York,  was  killed;  Captains  Whaley  and  Kelly, 
of  the  Seventeenth  New  York,  were  severely,  and  Adjutant 
George  S.  Wilson  mortally  wounded.  These  two  regiments, 
in  the  indistinctness  of  falling  night,  with  the  roar  and  smoke 
of  battle,  failing  to  hear  the  commands,  did  not  advance  nor 
effect  their  prolongation  with  the  Brigade  until  after  the  firing 
ceased.  The  Twentieth  Maine  and  the  Forty-fourth  New 
York  were  impeded  by  a  stout  board  fence,  and  while  endeavor 
ing  to  pass  this  obstruction  by  breaking  companies  to  the  rear, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Connor,  of  the  Forty-fourth,  was  wounded, 
the  command  devolving  upon  Major  Knox.  The  left  and  left 
centre  of  the  Brigade  aligned  for  the  charge  on  the  old  brick 
kiln  grounds  in  the  open  plain.  This  position  was  850  yards 
from  the  Sunken  Road,  lying  at  the  base  of  Marye's  and  Willis' 
Hills,  these  hills  being  salients  to  the  ridge  in  rear  of  Freder 
icksburg,  heavily  fortified  and  held  by  the  enemy.  The  Sunken 
Road  was  that  part  of  the  Telegraph  Road  skirting  the  base  of 
these  heights  for  a  distance  of  1,800  yards,  a  cutting  shoulder 
high  reinforced  on  both  sides  with  heavy  stone  walls,  the  earth 
thrown  forward  on  the  lower  or  town  side,  levelled  and  sodded 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  305 

to  conform  to  the  meadow.  This  intrenchment  was  impervious 
alike  to  musketry  and  shell,  with  Cobb's  and  Kershaw's  Bri 
gades  Confederate  infantry  well  posted  behind  it.  The  enemy's 
artillery  upon  the  salients,  fifty  feet  above  and  directly  behind 
the  Sunken  Road,  numbered  nineteen  guns  upon  Marye's  Hill 
and  twenty-one  upon  Willis'  Hill,  sweeping  the  exposed  plain 
in  front,  commanding  the  Plank  and  Telegraph  Roads  and  en 
filading  the  embankment  of  the  Orange  Railway.  Three 
heavy  batteries  on  the  slope  of  the  ridge  beyond  Willis'  Hill 
commanded  the  open  ground  from  Hazel  Run  to  the  Orange 
Plank  Road.  On  the  left  of  Marye's  Hill  five  batteries  ar 
ranged  in  pits,  extending  to  Stansbury  Hill,  swept  the  front 
and  right  to  Hazel  Run.  Every  column  assaulting  Marye's 
Heights  in  front  was  not  only  assailed  by  the  converging  fire 
of  nearly  one  hundred  pieces  of  artillery,  but  was  subjected  to 
the  deadly  musketry  from  behind  the  almost  perfect  breast 
works  of  the  Sunken  Road. 

At  the  order  ''forward,"  "guide  centre,"  "charge,"  the  men 
sprang  to  their  work  with  lines  well  dressed,  animated  with  the 
will  to  execute  what  seemed  a  hopeless  task.  Happily  for  the 
Brigade,  veiled  in  smoke  and  screened  by  darkness,  the  enemy 
from  his  elevated  position  fired  high,  and  to  this  cause  alone  it 
owed  its  preservation.  Front  and  flank  were  utterly  swept  by 
shot  and  shell,  for  at  this  hour  every  gun  bearing  upon  the 
plain  contributed  its  hail  of  lead  and  iron  to  the  storm  of  fire. 
Into  this  crucible  of  death  the  little  band  poured  itself,  mark 
ing  the  limits  of  Sturges',  Humphrey's,  Griffin's  and  Getty's 
assaults  in  adding  to  their  dead.  Sweeping  on  beyond  the  line 
of  fallen  comrades  in  blue,  with  bayonets  almost  crossing  the 
line  of  gray  in  the  Sunken  Road,  sorely  smitten  by  pitiless 
musketry,  with  ranks  torn  and  severed  by  canister  and  grape, 
weak  from  loss  and  without  support,  it  too  reeled,  not  in  re 
treat,  but  sinking  and  holding  to  the  very  earth  on  which  it 
fell.  The  last  desperate  trial  to  "break  and  carry"  the  enemy's 
lines  had  failed,  and  firing  ceased.  The  last  charge  had  been 
made,  the  chivalrous  battalions  of  eighteen  brigades  had  dashed 
their  masses  and  broken  their  ranks  against  Sunken  Road  and 
Shielded  Height,  and  yet  the  enemy,  almost  unscathed,  pre 
served  his  defiant  front. 

Vigilant  preparations  were  now  made  for  a  possible  night 
attack,  or  the  renewal  of  operations  with  daylight.  Sentinels 
crept  to  the  front,  regimental  positions  were  aligned,  pickets 
were  posted  on  the  left  front  toward  Willis'  Hill,  and  cover 
ing  the  left  flank  to  Hazel  Run.  Schooled  by  experience  in 


306  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 

former  campaigns  men  realized  the  benefits  of  sheltering  earth 
works,  and  with  such  help  as  the  bayonet  provided,  a  small 
furrow  was  turned  that  later  grew  to  a  defence.  At  10  p.  m. 
General  Griffin  visited  the  command,  sending  wagons  loaded 
with  ammunition  for  distribution,  while  the  wounded,  as  many 
as  could  be  carried,  were  returned  to  the  rear.  The  men  suf 
fered  from  exposure  on  the  bare  ground,  with  their  clothing 
drenched  from  fording  the  mill  race,  blood  heated  from  the 
effort  and  excitement  of  the  charge;  the  enforced  prostrate 
position,  with  the  frosty  December  night,  tended  to  chill  and 
stiffen  the  body  to  a  state  of  torpor.  The  hours  passed  all  too 
swiftly,  for  men  amid  such  dire  surroundings  realize  the  fleet- 
ness  of  time  and  precious  boon  of  life. 

Through  the  scatterings  mists  of  morning  came  a  flash,  a 
puff  of  smoke,  a  shell  with  short  fuse  exploded  far  in  rear  of 
the  recumbent  lines.  A  moment  later  another,  unexploded, 
buried  itself  deep  in  the  earth  between  the  Eighty-third  Penn 
sylvania  and  the  Sixteenth  Michigan.  Still  another  flash,  a  third 
shell  scattered  its  fragments  wide  over  the  Twentieth  Maine, 
wounding  a  number  of  men.  Upon  the  position  the  enemy's 
batteries,  two  hundred  yards  in  front,  now  had  perfect  range. 
Lying  upon  our  faces  that  sunlit  Sabbath  morning,  looking  into 
the  black  muzzles  of  the  guns  that  were  expected  every  mo 
ment  to  open  fire,  conscious  of  our  helplessness,  we  felt  it  was 
indeed  the  "day  of  wrath."  Carefully  turning  to  shut  out  for 
a  moment  this  sombre  vision,  the  eye  rested  upon  the  glittering 
cross  crowning  the  spire  of  St.  George's  Church.  Impending 
danger  seemed  even  to  scintillate  from  this  gracious  symbol, 
flashing  forth  the  prophetic  words  of  the  Dies  Irce: 

"Seer  and  sybil's  word  confirming, 
Heaven  and  earth  to  ashes  turning." 

During  the  night  the  enemy  had  heavily  entrenched  and 
strengthened  his  position,  expecting  an  early  morning  advance. 
These  three  shots  from  Napoleon  pieces  were  but  the  challenge 
for  an  attack,  and  with  artillery  double-shotted,  cannoniers  at 
their  posts,  without  firing  another  round  they  stood  to  their 
guns  throughout  the  day.  The  infantry  in  the  meantime  kept 
up  a  most  harassing  fire ;  as  soon  as  head  or  hand  was  incau 
tiously  raised  it  was  a  signal  for  a  shot,  and  casualties  occurred 
from  exposure,  the  plane  of  the  enemy's  fire  being  only  from 
twelve  to  eighteen  inches  above  our  lines.  Their  pickets  along 
Hazel  Run  and  the  small  copses  bordering  that  stream  were 


GENEKAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  307 

also  very  annoying,  and  it  took  the  large  detail  of  our  sharp 
shooters,  effectively  posted  along  fences  and  the  railway,  to 
keep  them  quiet.  The  wounded  suffered  from  thirst.  De 
voted  comrades  volunteered  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  fire  to  fill 
canteens  irom  the  mill  race.  This  duty  was  successfully  ac 
complished  by  two  men  from  each  company,  who  were  cheered 
by  admiring  comrades  as  they  returned,  unharmed,  for  their 
action  was  valorous  as  well  as  humane. 

As  the  day  grew  warm  with  sunshine,  it  was  a  comfort  to 
the  men  to  dry  their  damp  clothing  by  turning  from  side  to  side 
upon  the  ground.  Anxiously  the  future  was  awaited  from 
minute  to  minute,  and  from  hour  to  hour,  doubting  whether  the 
general  commanding  would  make  his  boasted  assurance  good  by 
leading  his  favorite  corps  in  an  assault,  although  success  could 
not  be  expected  in  a  direct  attack.  Not  men  enough  could 
be  massed  upon  the  plain  in  front  to  carry  the  works  defended 
by  the  forces  behind  them,  and  relief  could  only  come  under 
cover  of  darkness.  The  moments  passed  inspired  by  hope  and 
burdened  by  dread,  a  hope  that  reason  might  prevail  over  will, 
a  dread  of  further  blunder  committed  in  the  name  of  strategy. 
It  was,  therefore,  with  buoyant  hearts  that  the  sun's  low  sink 
ing  in  the  west  was  watched,  the  last  glimmering  rays  chang 
ing  into  purple  shadows  as  they  lingered  on  the  spires  of  Fred- 
ericksburg,  bringing  the  assurance  of  darkness,  and  with  dark 
ness,  relief. 

It  was  nearly  eleven  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the  i/j-th  that  a 
whispered  order  passed  along  the  lines,  "fall  in  for  the  rear." 
We  were  being  relieved  by  troops  from  General  Sturges'  Divi 
sion,  after  enduring  for  thirty  hours  the  enemy's  fire,  which 
we  were  unable  to  return,  even  when  directed  upon  our  details 
engaged  in  the  sacred  duty  of  bearing  stretchers  for  the  wound 
ed,  and  in  the  burial  of  the  dead. 

All  that  soldiers  could  do  had  been  done,  and  more  than  that, 
the  discipline  of  constancy  to  duty  and  fidelity  to  obedience 
under  the  severest  tests  in  the  campaigns  of  veterans,  had  been 
met  and  maintained.  Quietly  and  in  order  the  Brigade  formed 
and  moved  across  the  plain,  gathering  up  and  bearing  away  its 
long  neglected  wounded,  finally  bivouacking  on  the  cold  and 
uneven  brick  sidewalks  of  Caroline  Street,  our  right  resting 
upon  George  Street.  So  well  disciplined  was  this  command, 
that,  although  the  city  was  deserted  by  its  residents,  not  one 
instance  was  reported  where  officer  or  man  left  the  ranks  with 
the  object  of  curiosity,  pillage,  or  to  seek  shelter  in  the  vacant 
houses.  No  fires  were  lighted,  no  rations  cooked,  the  streets 


308  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

filled  with  ambulances  and  artillery,  continually  moving  to 
ward  front  and  rear. 

The  renewal  of  hostilities  having  been  abandoned,  prepara 
tions  were  made  on  the  I5th  for  holding  the  town,  and  General 
Butterfield  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  that  part  of  Fred- 
ericksburg  bounded  by  Hanover  Street  on  the  left  and  the 
Rappahannock  on  the  right,  with  orders  to  place  the  same  in  a 
state  of  defence.*  General  Butterfield  immediately  charged 
General  Warren  with  the  construction  of  earthworks,  and  to 
Captain  Weed,  Chief  of  Corps  Artillery,  was  assigned  the  dis 
tribution  and  position  of  batteries. 

It  had  been  determined  that  the  Fifth  Corps  should  hold 
the  town,  more  to  avoid  the  appearance  of  defeat  than  an  act 
of  conquest  or  base  for  future  operations.  While  waiting  for 
night  to  conceal  these  contemplated  movements,  Corps  and 
Division  Commanders  were  instructed  to  impress  upon  their 
commands  the  importance  of  being  well  "held  in  hand"  for  the 
immediate  renewal  of  offensive  action,  and  the  enemy  were 
shown  vast  columns  massing  and  deploying  upon  a  grander 
scale  than  hitherto,  apparently  preparing  for  a  more  matured 
and  decisive  assault.  Darkness  came  on  while  these  manoeuvres 
were  yet  in  progress,  when  the  commanders  of  all  corps,  except 
Butterfield's,  faced  their  columns  toward  the  bridge's  heads, 
and  the  evacuation  of  Fredericksburg  began. 

It  is  a  matter  of  fact,  although  not  of  record,  that  at  this 
time  General  "Stonewall"  Jackson  proposed  to  strip  his  corps 
"to  the  buff,"  that  his  men  might  readily  recognize  each  other 
in  the  darkness,  and  with  the  "cold  steel"  assault  the  Fifth 
Corps,  annihilate  it,  or  drive  it,  together  with  the  retreating 
troops  that  it  covered  into  the  Rappahannock.  This  barbarous 
and  inhuman  proposition  General  Lee  promptly  disapproved, 
and  thus  history  is  spared  a  fanatical  chapter,  the  narration  of 
which  would  have  been  unparalleled  since  the  Christian  era.f 

At  ten  o'clock  p.  m.  the  entire  command  of  Fredericksburg 

"Headquarters   Army  of  the  Potomac,  December  15,  1862. 
Major-General   Hooker,    Commanding  Centre  Grand  Division: 

The  Commanding  General  directs  that  all  the  troops  now  occupying 
the  right  bank  of  the  Rappahannock  be  withdrawn  to-night,  excepting 
General  Butterfield's  Corps,  which  will  occupy  and  hold  Fredericksburg. 
Major-General  Sumner  has  given  orders  that  his  command  be  removed 
under  your  direction. 

Very  respectfully, 

JOHN  G.  PARKE,  Chief  of  Staff. 

tOmcers  high  in  rank,  serving  in  General  Jackson's  Corps,  whose 
names  it  is  unnecessary  to  disclose,  assured  the  writer  that  the  above 
purpose  was  duly  considered  by  General  Jackson,  and  submitted  for  ap 
proval  to  General  Lee. 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  309 

was  placed  in  General  Butterfield's  hands,  when  at  once  the 
Third  Brigade  was  ordered  to  relieve  the  battle  lines  in  front 
of  Marye's  Heights.  Owing  to  excessive  exposure  on  the  night 
of  the  1 3th,  Colonel  Stockton,  commanding  the  Brigade,  was 
taken  ill,  the  command  devolving  upon  Colonel  Vincent. 
Young,  an  accomplished  soldier  and  filled  with  military  ardor, 
the  Brigade  could  not  have  fallen  into  better  hands.  The  night 
of  the  1 5th  was  dark  and  cold,  with  flurries  of  rain  and  sleet, 
the  streets  crowded  with  moving  men  and  the  abandoned  debris 
of  a  battlefield.  Assuming  command,  Colonel  Vincent  moved 
out  through  Hanover  Street,  down  Federal  Hill  and  over  the 
small  bridge  covering  the  mill  race,  filing  to  the  left,  under 
cover  of  the  knoll  where  so  many  battalions  massed  for  the 
charge,  and  again  sought  refuge  in  retreat.  On  this  knoll  the 
Brigade  halted,  an  interval  of  moonlight  disclosing  lines  of 
battle  lying  upon  their  arms.  But  to  the  whispered  inquiry, 
"To  which  corps  do  you  belong?"  these  silent  figures  gave  no 
reply.  With  unrusted  armor  buckled  on,  "their  souls  were  with 
the  saints,"  the  stern  necessities  of  war  still  exacting  duty  from 
the  dead.  Under  cover  of  darkness  the  slain  had  been  placed 
in  lines  along  the  several  crests  of  the  plateau  facing  the  enemy. 
This  appalling  fact  was  now  realized  as  these  uniformed  corpses 
were  rolled  aside  like  cumbersome  stones  to  make  a  passage 
way  for  marching  men.  Through  this  revolting  horror  and 
beyond  barricades  of  bodies  piled  high  and  frozen  stiff,  the 
column  moved  forward  to  its  old  position  near  to  and  in  front 
of  the  Sunken  Road,  relieving  General  Zook's  Brigade,  Han 
cock's  Division,  Second  Corps. 

The  unyielding  fortitude  and  invincible  courage  displayed  in 
the  discharge  of  this  duty  was  all  that  could  be  given  by  mortal 
men,  a  tribute  to  supreme  heroism,  inspired  and  sustained  by 
the  magnetism  of  the  inflexible  disciplinarian  and  adored  com 
mander  who  organized  and  drilled  the  regiments  of  the  Third 
Brigade  for  the  sublime  duties  of  war.* 

General  Butterfield  received  orders  to  withdraw  his  command 
and  recross  the  river  at  3.30  a.  m.  on  the  morning  of  the  i6th. 
There  was  not  exacted  of  a  corps  commander  during  the  entire 
war  a  more  delicate  military  movement  than  the  execution  of 
this  order.  It  was  the  one  brilliant  achievement  of  the  cam 
paign,  the  withdrawal  of  30,000  men  (including  General  Whip- 
pie's  Division  of  the  Third  Corps),  at  a  moment's  notice,  across 
a  navigable  river,  in  front  of  a  victorious  enemy,  a  hundred 

*Major-General  Daniel  Butterfield. 


310  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

guns  trained  upon  its  masses,  without  the  loss  of  a  man,  the 
wheel  of  a  wagon,  or  the  firing  of  a  picket  shot. 

The  selection  of  General  Butterfield  to  discharge  this  duty 
of  covering  the  retreat  and  withdrawal  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  from  Fredericksburg,  with  his  command  numbering 
hardly  one-fourth  of  the  enemy's  forces,  was  then,  and  has  ever 
been  since,  considered  a  double  compliment — to  himself,  for  his 
strong  qualities  as  a  soldier  and  a  commander,  his  coolness  and 
courage,  with  quick  action  of  decision  in  any  emergency,  and 
to  his  command  for  proof  of  its  steadiness,  discipline  and  thor 
oughly  soldier-like  qualities.  Nor  was  this  duty  new  to  either. 
General  Butterfield  had  been  selected  by  McClellan  to  cross  the 
James  River  alone,  with  the  old  Third  Brigade,  and  make  a 
feint  on  Richmond,  while  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  being 
withdrawn,  and  to  cover  the  retreat  from  the  James  River. 

The  withdrawal  of  the  army  from  Fredericksburg  was  car 
ried  out  in  the  most  admirable  manner.  No  confusion  oc 
curred,  no  haste,  no  disorder,  and  not  a  moment  was  lost.  The 
artillery  and  trains  were  at  once  put  in  motion;  the  Provost 
Guard  patrolled  the  town  searching  for  absentees,  who  were 
hastened  to  their  commands.  "Precise  and  detailed  orders  in 
writing  were  given"  for  every  movement.  General  Sykes  was 
directed  to  cover  the  upper  bridges  with  Colonel  Buchanan's 
Brigade  of  Regulars,  and  the  Fifth  New  York  Volunteers  of 
General  Warren's  Brigade  were  thrown  out  as  skirmishers, 
covering  the  right  front.  At  four  o'clock  Colonel  Vincent  or 
dered  the  left  regiment  of  the  Third  Brigade,  the  Sixteenth 
Michigan,  to  pass  noiselessly  to  the  rear,  following  the  bed  of 
the  Orange  Railway,  through  the  cutting  toward  the  town. 
Whispered  orders,  "Follow  to  the  left,"  were  passed  so  quietly 
that  the  company  on  the  right  did  not  rise  until  the  company  on 
the  left  was  well  away.  Before  the  last  regiment  of  the  Bri 
gade  had  moved,  its  head  of  column  had  formed  in  line  of  bat 
tle,  left  in  front,  behind  the  mill  race,  covering  the  city  south 
ward  from  Hanover  Street.  Moving  slowly  in  retreat  along 
the  outskirts  of  the  town,  our  departure  was  signalled  to  the 
enemy  by  the  baying  of  bloodhounds  along  our  abandoned  lines. 
Daylight  disclosed  the  enemy's  pickets  held  in  check  by  the  blue 
uniforms  of  the  dead,  lying  in  battle  lines  along  their  front. 
Slowly  retiring  from  one  position  to  another,  moving  through 
the  lower  part  of  Fredericksburg,  the  river's  bank  was  reached. 
The  bridges  had  been  prematurely  cut  away.  A  sharp  rebuke 
and  orders  from  General  Butterfield  to  the  engineers  in  charge, 
soon  brought  the  pontoons  back  in  place,  when,  "by  the  right 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  311 

flank,"  "file  left,"  the  Third  Brigade,  at  eight  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  i6th,  were  the  last  troops  to  recross  the  river  at 
the  steamboat  wharves  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Rappahannock, 
having  lost  201  men. 

Washington,  September  21,  1892. 

FOURTH   OF   JULY   ORATION,    AT   OGDENSBURG, 

N.  Y.,  1894. 

Mr.  Chairman  and  Fellow  Citizens: 

When  the  invitation,  with  which  you  honored  me,  to  address 
you  on  this,  our  national  birthday,  was  received,  I  accepted  im 
mediately.  Aside  from  the  pleasure  of  meeting,  as  I  knew  I 
should,  many  old  comrades  in  arms  and  personal  friends  among 
your  fellow  citizens,  I  felt  it  a  duty. 

Half  a  century  ago  my  father  was  engaged  in  the  business 
of  transportation  from  the  Mohawk  Valley  to  the  St.  Lawrence 
River,  by  stage,  and  over  the  Lakes  and  the  St.  Lawrence  River, 
by  steamer,  in  connection  with  honored  citizens  of  northern 
New  York,  whose  names  are  a  synonym  of  true  and  good 
American  citizens  to-day,  as  they  were  then.  The  names  of 
Chapman,  Merriam  and  others  came  to  mind  instantly.  I  felt 
I  should  come  among  friends ;  that  as  some  of  the  profits  de 
rived  from  that  transportation,  over  half  a  century  ago,  had 
been  applied  to  my  education,  it  was  a  personal  as  well  as 
patriotic  duty  to  respond.  So  I  am  with  you  to-day.  Con 
fidentially,  I  thought  I  could  pick  up  some  old  Fourth  of  July 
oration  of  mine,  and  not  be  burdened  with  any  trouble  or  time 
in  the  preparation  of  what  to  say  to  you.  As  the  time  passed 
on,  the  subject  was  thought  of,  and  it  occurred  to  me  that  it 
wouldn't  do  to  go  to  Ogdensburg  and  deliver  a  spread-eagle 
Fourth  of  July  oration.  I  recalled  the  delicious  story  told  at  a 
celebrated  dinner  in  New  York  by  one  of  your  well-known 
citizens,  of  his  early  experience  in  politics,  addressing  a  public 
assemblage.  He  was  called  upon  to  make  a  speech  at  a  political 
meeting,  as  a  sort  of  pilot  of  the  great  political  orator  who  was 
to  do  the  heavier  work.  He  acquitted  himself  to  his  own  satis 
faction,  when  the  speaker  of  the  day  arose,  and,  after  able 
political  discussion,  approached  his  peroration,  which  he  in 
tended  should  be  patriotic,  and  of  an  order  to  impress  the  multi 
tude.  He  sent  forth  a  burst  of  eloquence,  descriptive  of  Amer 
ica  and  the  American  eagle  with  wings  extended,  one  wing 
over  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  other  over  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
With  arms  extended  in  this  eloquent  burst,  and  the  eagle  in 
this  position,  he  hesitated.  He  seemed  to  be  lost  for  language 


312  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

to  carry  his  speech  and  his  figure  further.  Waiting  for  some 
time,  as  those  of  us  often  have  to,  for  words  to  come,  when 
thinking  on  our  feet,  the  patience  of  the  audience  was  greatly 
tried,  and  a  good-natured  Irishman  exclaimed  in  a  loud  voice : 
"Oh,  let  the  bird  go,  and  give  us  some  sense." 

I  thought  should  I  begin  to  talk  of  patriotism  and  the  Amer 
ican  eagle,  perhaps,  among  my  audience,  might  be  some  of  the 
old  soldiers  of  Ogdensburg,  who  wanted  no  instructions  or 
lessons  in  patriotism.  Men,  whose  services  to  their  country 
had  proved  their  knowledge  of  their  duty  and  their  performance 
of  it. 

Here  might  be  among  my  audience  my  old  friend,  General 
Davies,  born  near  Black  Lake,  born  in  a  log  cabin,  rocked  in  a 
cradle  made  from  a  log.  His  father  purchased  a  farm  when 
land  was  eight  cents  an  acre,  where  we  are.  He  came  from  a 
family  that  furnished  a  distinguished  professor  at  West  Point 
— a  distinguished  judge  who  ornamented  the  bench  in  the  City 
of  New  York,  and  he,  the  youngest  of  the  family,  graduated 
with  distinction  at  West  Point,  went  out  with  your  Sixteenth 
Volunteers  from  Ogdensburg,  distinguishing  himself  by  his 
judgment  and  coolness  in  command  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run; 
was  promoted  to  be  brigadier-general  and  major-general  of 
volunteers,  and  performed  most  valuable,  distinguished  and 
honorable  services  in  the  campaigns  on  the  Mississippi  and  in 
the  West.  Possibly  there  might  be  with  him  your  distin 
guished  son,  General  Curtis,  one  of  the  heroes  of  Fort  Fisher, 
Judge  Sanford,  Major  Daniels,  Captain  Merry,  Captain  Best, 
Quartermaster  Davies,  Lieutenant  Austin,  of  that  same  Six 
teenth  Regiment.  Perhaps,  too,  your  distinguished  Colonel 
James,  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixth,  formerly  for  a  time  of 
my  staff,  also  present,  who  served  both  in  the  Fiftieth  and  Six 
ty-fifth  ;  your  Captain  Shaw  and  Captain  Birge,  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Sixth,  and  Captains  Wells,  Bosworth  and  Con- 
tryman,  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-second ;  the  brave 
Colonel  Walling,  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-second,  who 
captured  the  flag  at  Fort  Fisher ;  General  Meyers,  colonel  of  the 
Eighteenth;  Ellsworth,  and  others  of  these  brave  men  of  Og 
densburg  and  its  vicinity  might  be  here.  There  is  no  need  of 
talking  patriotism  to  them.  Recall  those  who  are  gone  from 
our  midst :  General  Barney  and  Captain  Nevin,  captain  Wil 
liam  Wheeler,  Captain  Ransom,  Lieutenant  Vilas,  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Forty-second;  Peter  Robinson,  Andrew  Mc 
Donald  and  Briggs,  genial  Atchinson,  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Sixth  ;  Bartlett  and  Goodnow,  of  the  Eighteenth  ;  Goodrich  and 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  313 

Godard,  of  the  Sixtieth ;  Remington  and  Bayne,  all  of  whom 
have  joined  the  majority — some  gave  their  lives  on  the  battle 
field,  others  actually  died  from  exposure,  and  many  others  had 
their  lives  shortened  by  service. 

I  might  add  names  by  the  hour,  coming  down  to  your  brave 
soldiers  in  the  ranks  who  did  the  work.  No,  it  would  be  a 
waste  of  time  and  an  error  of  judgment  to  pick  up  an  old 
Fourth  of  July  address  and  tell  it  in  the  presence  of  the  living, 
who  set  such  an  example  to  their  friends  and  fellow  citizens, 
who  had  received  such  an  object  lesson,  with,  hovering  over  us, 
the  glorious  spirits  of  the  dead,  who  died  in  the  discharge 
of  patriotic  duty,  and  affecting  by  example  and  spirit  friends 
who  remain.  Even  now  the  spirit  of  that  grand  old  Ogdens- 
burg  historic  Fourth  of  July  patriot,  General  Roscius  Judson, 
if  not  in  our  midst,  is  floating  the  flag  above  the  reach  of  the 
eagle's  flight.  God  bless  his  memory !  The  idea  of  making  an 
old  Fourth  of  July  oration  was  abandoned. 

What  shall  we  discuss?  What  are  we  here  for,  and  what  is 
appropriate?  We  have  heard  read  the  Declaration  of  Inde 
pendence,  the  Magna  Charta  of  our  nation.  We  look  back 
with  profound  reverence  and  respect  to  the  patriotism  and  abil 
ity  of  the  great  men  of  the  Revolution.  We  find  in  the  Dec 
laration  of  Independence  language  stating  the  broad  principles 
upon  which  it  was  founded : 

"That  all  men  are  created  equal."  "That  they  are  endowed 
by  their  Creator  with  certain  inalienable  rights."  "That  among 
these  are  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness."  "That  to 
secure  these  rights  governments  are  instituted  among  men,  de 
riving  their  just  power  from  the  consent  of  the  governed." 
"That  whenever  any  government  becomes  destructive  of  these 
ends,  it  is  the  right  of  the  people  to  alter  or  abolish  it,  and  to 
institute  a  new  government,  laying  its  foundation  upon  such 
principles  and  organizing  its  powers  in  such  form  as  to  them 
shall  seem  most  likely  to  effect  their  safety  and  happiness." 
These  general  principles  underlie  the  Declaration  of  Indepen 
dence.  The  people  were  not  oppressed  by  monarchical  govern 
ment,  but  by  the  measures  of  that  government  that  were  carried 
on  by  a  king  and  parliament. 

We  may  go  back  and  review  a  few  of  these  measures  that 
oppressed  our  people.  Thomas  Jefferson  had  to  give  a  bond 
to  the  king  in  the  sum  of  fifty  pound,  sterling,  to  get  a  marriage 
license.  How  many  marriages  would  occur  in  St.  Lawrence 
County  if  every  young  man  who  desired  to  wed  his  sweetheart 
had  to  give  a  bond  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars?  There 


314 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 


were  taxes  upon  newspapers,  for  example :  "Upon  every  news 
paper  containing  public  news,  or  occurrences,  which  shall  be 
printed,  or  made  public,  a  stamp  duty  of  one  penny  (two  cents, 
our  money)  for  every  printed  copy  thereof.  For  every  adver 
tisement  in  any  gazette,  newspaper  or  other  paper  or  pamphlet, 
a  duty  of  two  shillings,  or  half  a  dollar."  How  many  news 
papers  would  be  printed  to-day  if  the  proprietor  or  editor  had 
to  pay  two  cents  for  every  copy  he  printed,  and  fifty  cents  for 
every  advertisement  in  it,  to  maintain  a  king  or  royal  govern 
ment? 

No  wonder  that  the  editor  or  publisher  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Journal  suspended  publication  of  his  paper  and  issued  his  last 
number  in  the  following  language  and  form: 


Thniifi  OfUHrji^nlS                                                THE                                                     KUMB  H9J 

PENNSYLVANIA  JOURNAL; 

AN  D 

WEEKLY  ADVERTISER. 

1 
} 

8 

w 

V 

* 
* 

A 

£• 

I 

EXP  IR1  NCi:    In  Hopes  of  &  RefeurectiontoLlTE  a&ain. 

Q  am  forry  to  be 
obliged    to    ac 
quaint  my  read 
ers  that  as  the 
Stamp    Act    is 
feared    to   be    obligatory 
upon  us  after  thefirft  of 
November  ensuing   (The 
Fatal  To-morrow),  The 
publifher  of  this  paper,  un 
able  to  bear  the  Burthen, 
has  thought  it  expedient 
to  ftop  awhile,  iu  order  to 

deliberate,  whether  any 
methods  can  be  found  to 
elude  the  chains  forced  for 
us,  and  efcape  the  inlup- 
portable  fla»ery,  which  it 
is   hoped,   from    the    laft 
representation  now  made 
agninft.  that  act,  may  be 
eifected.     Mean  while  I 
muft    earneftly    Requeft 
every    individual    of  my 
Subscribers,     many     of 
whom  havtvbeen  loog  be 

hind     Hand,    that    they 
would    immediately    dif- 
charge    their    refpective 
Arrears,  that  -I   may  be 
able,  not  only  to  fupport 
myfelf  during  the,  Inter 
val,  but  be  better  prepar- 
eu  to  proceed  again  with 
this  Paper  whenever  }»n 
opening  for  that  purpofe 
appears,   which   I   hope 
will  be  loon. 
WJLLIAiU  BRADFORD. 

Newspapers  then,  as  now,  it  seems,  had  subscribers  who  did 
not  pay  up.  This  Stamp  Act  was  repealed  the  next  year,  to 
the  great  joy  of  the  people;  but  the  fire  and  desire  for  liberty 
was  ablaze  with  the  American  people.  It  would  not  down. 
It  was  not  because  of  the  form  of  government  that  the  Revolu- 


315 

tion  was  brought  about,  but  it  was  because  of  the  acts  that  were 
done  and  performed  under  that  form  of  government. 

The  new  form  of  government  given  us  after  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  by  the  Continental  Congress  and  the  founders 
of  our  government  was  an  admirable  one.  In  its  workings  it 
has  been  sufficiently  expansive  to  enable  amendments  and  cor 
rections  to  be  made  to  meet  issues  from  time  to  time,  as  they 
have  risen  in  our  progress,  and  that  brings  us  to-day  face  to 
face  with  a  live  issue  that  we  can  discuss  here.  It  is  our  duty 
to  do  it.  We  will  fly  no  bird,  but  go  at  the  issue.  Perhaps  we 
will  fly  him  later  if  time  permits. 

The  close  of  our  first  century  of  independence  marks  an 
epoch  unrivaled  in  the  sudden  development  of  a  great  nation. 
The  Centennial  was  the  celebration  of  one  hundred  years  of 
marvelous  prosperity,  and  the  feet  of  liberty  seemed  firmly 
planted  on  these  tranquil  shores  of  the  West. 

To-day  we  may  find  food  for  ample  thought. 

It  is  true  that  the  torch  of  liberty  burns  undimmed ;  that  the 
heritage  of  our  fathers  has  been  preserved  through  two  for 
eign  and  one  memorable  civil  war.  From  Maine  to  Alaska 
our  vast  realm  sweeps,  rich  in  every  natural  gift  and  untrodden 
by  any  foreign  foe.  Last  year  saw  the  gates  of  a  world's  peace 
wide  open  in  friendship  at  the  great  White  City.  There  a  won 
dering  world  gazed  upon  the  work  of  our  own  hands.  The 
spoils  of  the  earth  lay  at  the  feet  of  the  genius  of  liberty.  The 
silent  triumph  of  the  World's  Exposition  was  the  concord  and 
amity  of  the  gathered  hosts  of  peace.  Friends  and  strangers 
vied  in  wonder  and  admiration.  The  heritage  of  our  fathers, 
brought  nearer  to  us  on  this  day  we  celebrate,  received  its 
triumph  of  time  at  the  Centennial,  and  last  year,  that  will  be 
ever  memorable,  saw  one  triumph  of  art.  Both  were  and  are 
ours. 

In  the  last  fifty  years  the  world  of  science  has  been  explored ; 
new  and  living  truths  brought  to  light !  While  we,  as  Ameri 
cans,  have  been  "making  history" — while  our  keen-eyed  citizens 
have  developed  our  natural  resources — a  great  school  of  litera 
ture  has  grown  up  among  us.  The  pulpit,  the  rostrum  and  the 
American  journal  have  kept  pace  with  the  upward  movement 
of  the  last  twenty  years,  and  a  nervous,  bold,  energetic  band  of 
scholars  and  thinkers  lead  our  masses  on  to  a  closer  grapple 
with  the  only  unsolved  problems  of  American  life.  While  in 
the  whole  world  the  republican  imitators  of  the  United  States 
are  left  to  follow  in  peace  the  progress  of  our  great  experiment 
— here,  at  home — we  are  destined  to  meet  with  every  side  prob- 


316 

lem  of  the  effort  at  self-government.  It  is  not  alone  as  the 
recipients  of  precious  lessons  and  a  golden  legacy  that  we 
Americans  face  the  thinking  world  to-day. 

The  advances  in  the  last  quarter  of  a  century  in  technical 
science — the  daring  inventions — the  extended  comforts  of  civi 
lization,  and  the  broadening  of  our  daily  lives  have  been  accom 
panied  with  a  diffusion  of  general  information  among  us  truly 
unequaled. 

The  average  American  intelligence  is  quickened  to  its  ut 
most  keenness  by  the  chorus  of  our  later  civilization.  While  to 
us  the  simple  franchise  gives  the  dignity  and  power  never  en 
joyed  by  even  the  citizens  of  haughty  Rome — endowed  as  we 
have  been,  and  enlightened  as  we  are,  with  the  example  of  our 
fathers  to  guide  us,  we  are  yet  far  from  safety. 

The  sentinels  on  the  watch  towers  of  freedom  must  not 
sleep!  It  is  theirs  to  guard — to  watch  for  the  foe  without — 
and  to  quell  dissensions  from  within.  Assembled  around  a 
thousand  altars  of  Liberty  to-day,  we  may  proudly  review  the 
past,  gratefully  realize  the  present,  and  in  the  hosannas  of  our 
rejoicing  not  forget  to  cast  an  anxious  eye  along  our  future 
national  pathway.  Though  our  broad  land  smiles  in  peace,  gar 
nered  plenty  surrounding  us,  though  our  laws  are  equitable,  our 
flag  honored,  our  institutions  firmly  planted,  there  are  clouds 
upon  the  horizon  of  the  future. 

The  world  has  been  passing  through  a  period  of  social  and 
political  unrest  for  the  last  ten  years.  Perhaps  we  would  be 
more  awake  to  this  if  the  censorship  of  the  European  press 
were  less  effective. 

A  merciful  Providence  has  spared  us  from  the  dominion  of 
hereditary  monarchs  or  tyrants,  or  the  privileged  aristocracy  of 
birth.  No  great  military  Caesar  has  attacked  our  liberties. 
Our  generals,  like  Washington,  laid  down  the  truncheon  of 
command  on  the  altar  of  a  victorious  country.  Our  great 
armies  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  dissolved  into  the  body 
politic  like  the  shadows  of  a  dream.  In  its  perhaps  too  rapid 
material  development  our  country  has  forged  on,  forgetting 
that  the  century  is  closing  in  storm  and  unrest  in  Europe. 

Parliamentary  government  has  been  strained  to  its  utmost  in 
the  Old  World,  and  new  popular  leaders,  new  codes,  strange 
theories  and  radical  dissensions  have  appeared  in  foreign  lands. 
The  great  powers  abroad  have  stood  silently  in  arms  since  the 
close  of  the  unhappy  Franco-German  War,  and  the  burden  of 
the  state  of  armed  peace  has  galled  the  toilers  of  Europe.  To 
resent  the  exactions  of  military  insolence,  to  avoid  the  enor- 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  317 

mous  burdens  of  taxation  and  the  struggle  of  existence,  the 
lower  classes  of  Europe  have  poured  into  our  land  and  through 
its  open  gates.  Our  labor  markets  have  been  crowded  with 
aliens,  who  are  not  our  brothers  in  sympathy  and  who  bear 
none  of  the  just  burdens  of  citizenship.  In  these  foreign 
lands  ready  demagogues  have  appeared,  secret  reactionary  press 
and  an  inflammatory  literature  has  been  evolved  from  the  bosom 
of  discontent.  New  and  vicious  theories  of  government  have 
taken  a  deep  root — an  obstructive  and  dangerous  minority 
threatens  the  peace  of  several  European  peoples.  Under  what 
ever  guise  these  levelling  doctrines  present  themselves,  they  are 
a  menace  to  the  general  welfare.  The  clouds  of  the  French 
Revolution  of  1793  seem  to  be  lowering  over  the  world  in  1894. 

It  is  but  just  to  the  rulers  and  constitutional  monarchs  of 
Europe  to  say  that  no  attack  has  been  made  on  the  liberties  of 
the  citizen  since  the  repression  of  1848.  As  a  whole,  the  Red 
Republican  movement  of  the  middle  of  our  century  was  the 
failure  of  passionate,  frenzied  minds.  Military  repression  sub 
dued  a  general  uprising  which  was  in  reality  the  work  of  secret 
societies. 

In  our  later  day  the  general  danger  is  a  graver  one.  Free 
thought,  Radicalism,  Socialism,  Communism,  and  even  An 
archy  are  sowing  the  teeth  of  Cadmus  among  us. 

The  outcome  of  this  wretched  and  miserable  theory  and 
wrong  fired  the  bullet  of  the  assassin  into  the  heart  of  a  noble 
man,  chief  of  one  of  our  great  cities,  the  Mayor  of  Chicago, 
and  across  the  ocean  even  now  comes  the  echo  of  the  muffled 
drums  and  minute  guns  giving  the  last  honors  to  the  noble, 
chivalrous,  generous,  gentle  Carnot,  chief  of  the  sister  Republic 
of  France,  to  tell  us  there  again  the  insidious,  wicked  devils 
have  struck  another  blow  with  the  hope  to  produce  the  results 
they  long  for. 

In  a  land  where  the  voice,  pen  and  press  are  unbridled,  where 
the  liberty  of  assembly  is  unquestioned,  the  importation  of  these 
wild  doctrines  and  the  men  who  preach  them  is  a  national  crime. 
Over  the  world  to-day  the  sophists  of  disorder,  the  priests  of 
lawlessness,  seek  a  fruitful  ground  for  the  cultivation  of  the 
mushroom  growth  of  false  social  and  political  economy. 

Old  forms  of  belief  reel  under  the  blows  of  the  agnostic. 
The  institutions  of  la\v,  of  private  right,  of  the  home,  the 
family,  and  the  rights  of  personal  and  landed  property  are  all 
vigorously  attacked.  Every  landmark  of  human  progress  is 
menaced  by  these  continental  levellers,  every  interest  dear  to  the 
good  citizen  is  threatened. 


318  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

The  forensic  demand  for  a  division  of  wealth,  the  reiterated 
claims  of  the  discontented,  the  cry  of  the  vicious  and  idle  for  a 
State  maintenance  ring  every  day  more  loudly  in  our  ears. 
From  the  Continent  come  daily  the  reports  of  class  rebellion, 
of  violent  attempts  of  plot  and  scheme,  and  even  dastardly 
anarchistic  attacks  on  the  general  peace.  For  ten  years  a  flood 
of  undesirable  immigration  has  clogged  our  great  cities.  In  a 
land  already  burdened  with  the  undesirable  foreign  contract 
laborer,  and  confronted  with  the  difficult  African  problem  of 
our  own  origin — derived  from  England — we  see  now  congested 
masses  of  partly  servile  foreign  laborers,  as  well  as  hordes  of 
pauper  and  criminal  refugees.  Under  the  very  shadows  of 
the  great  Statue  of  Liberty  these  men  come  to  us,  led  on  by 
skilled  emissaries,  who  bring  the  red  flag  and  the  assassin's 
knife  with  their  infamous  propaganda. 

Is  it  not  true  that  of  the  half  million  of  undesirables  thrust 
annually  upon  us,  not  ten  in  a  hundred  are  contributing  citizens 
in  ten  years?  Is  it  not  also  true  that  they  throng  our  public 
relief  institutions;  that  they  fill  our  jails  and  asylums?  For 
the  jury  box,  for  the  franchise,  for  the  army  and  navy,  as  set 
tlers,  as  heads  of  families,  are  not  these  aliens  both  undesirable 
and  useless?  These  are  questions  addressing  themselves  to 
Americans  to-day. 

When  weary  of  the  labors  of  a  patriot,  George  Washington 
retired  to  his  Virginia  home,  he  penned  his  Farewell  Address — 
a  document  as  lofty  as  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the 
Emancipation  Proclamation,  or  the  martyred  Lincoln's  great 
Gettysburg  speech.  All  of  the  trials  he  predicted  have  come 
upon  us,  and  all  of  the  dangers  he  foresaw,  together  with  the 
chastening  hand  of  Providence  for  the  continued  crime  of  hu 
man  slavery.  But  it  was  to  American  citizens,  to  freemen,  to 
the  inheritors  of  the  prize  for  which  our  forefathers  fought,  that 
he  spoke  in  clarion  tones.  Sectional  dissension,  class  pride,  for 
eign  influence,  alien  principles,  vicious  public  thought,  and  the 
evils  of  discord  are  painted  in  the  calm  words  which  should 
adorn  every  American  schoolhouse.  Even  religious  divisions 
are  foreshadowed.  But  new  and  unforeseen  dangers  menace 
the  country  we  love,  the  great  land  whose  flag  of  stars  now 
bears  forty-four  instead  of  thirteen. 

Speaking  to  the  citizens  of  the  great  Empire  State,  the  lead 
ing  Commonwealth  of  a  Union  born  in  battle's  storm,  cemented 
by  the  blood  of  heroes,  I  ask  if  American  citizenship  has  not, 
to-day,  its  grave  duties.  It  behooves  the  father,  the  veteran, 
the  useful  citizen  and  you,  younger  men,  to  look  down  the 


GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  319 

columned  years  and  see  if  the  future  of  our  republic  is  secure. 
It  has  been  said  that  the  word  "country"  calls  up  more  than 
mere  rocks,  rivers,  trees,  broad  prairies,  hills,  mountains  and 
fields.  The  sacred  words,  "Our  Country,"  to  that  true  and 
loyal  American  citizen  speak  of  all  we  revere  in  the  past,  cherish 
in  the  present  and  hope  to  hand  down  to  the  future.  Our 
country  means  its  homes,  laws,  grand  principles,  its  equalized 
burdens,  its  tolerance,  its  educational  aspirations,  its  guarantees 
of  life,  property  and  the  savings  of  the  thrifty. 

The  very  name,  "The  United  States  of  America/'  speaks  of 
the  brotherly  union  in  interest  of  new  families,  communities 
and  States.  Possessing  a  marvelous  natural  wealth,  with  a 
judiciously  evolved  manufacturing  system  and  proper  rules  of 
foreign  intercourse,  our  land  is,  and  should  be,  the  hope  of  the 
freeman  and  the  rock  and  refuge  of  liberty.  Let  us  keep  it  so. 

For  a  generation  the  dogs  of  war  have  been  muzzled,  our 
burdens  laid  on  the  resident,  the  traveler,  the  sojourner,  and  our 
own  citizens,  have  been  the  highest  in  the  civilized  world.  It  is 
but  natural  that  the  easy  conditions  of  life,  the  high  wages  in 
cident  to  the  great  post-bellum  development,  the  broadcast  gifts 
of  land  and  easily  acquired  franchise,  have  attracted  to  our 
shores  the  unthrifty  as  well  as  the  worthy,  the  criminal  as  well 
as  the  fitting  candidate  for  citizenship. 

There  have  been  important  changes  affecting  our  foreign  im 
migration  in  the  last  thirty  years.  The  conversion  of  the  At 
lantic  Ocean  into  a  mere  ferry,  the  extension  of  the  contract 
labor  system,  the  demand  for  great  blocks  of  men  to  aid  in  road 
construction  or  the  primary  work  of  the  coal,  iron  and  steel 
trade,  have  stimulated  the  incoming  stream  of  alien  reinforce 
ment.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  mere  manual  labor  is  looked 
down  upon  by  many  Americans.  To  fulfil  the  needs  of  our 
capitalists,  a  swarm  of  foreigners  have  been  thrust  upon  us, 
with  no  inborn  respect  for  our  laws,  merely  seeking  personal 
advantage.  Politicians,  quick  to  see  the  value  of  these  mem 
bers  and  to  coquet  with  these  masses,  have  made  the  formal 
acquisition  of  our  citizenship  fatally  easy  and  viciously  rapid. 

This  question  of  citizenship  we  should  guard — it  is  a  grave 
question.  The  eloquent  and  able  Dr.  Raymond,  President  of 
Union  College,  truly  said,  in  his  recent  inaugural,  while  speak 
ing  of  the  duty  of  the  American  college  in  connection  with  citi 
zenship,  "Our  importance  as  a  nation  is  not  determined  by  our 
vast  territory,  our  wealth,  our  military  strength,  but  our  civil 
and  social  institutions  and  life.  To  us,  as  to  no  other  nation, 
has  been  given  the  opportunity  and  the  privilege  of  working  out 


320  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

the  problem  of  popular  government  upon  the  basis  of  equal  in 
dividual  rights,  a  problem  theoretically  simple,  but  practically 
found  to  be  increasingly  complicated. 

"Now,  the  first  condition  of  good  government  is  the  ability 
and  character  of  the  governing  class.  In  popular  government 
the  governing  class  is  the  numerical  majority  of  the  citizens. 
Whatever  arbitrary  power  may  be  assumed  and  exercised  for  a 
time  by  individuals  and  factions,  ultimately  the  people  assert 
their  authority,  and  the  rule  of  the  majority  is  not  only  the 
theory  but  the  fundamental  fact  of  our  national  life.  The  es 
sential  truth  of  citizenship  is  not  individual  liberty,  but  respon 
sibility.  The  very  term  indicates  identification  with  larger  and 
broader  interests  than  those  of  the  individual.  The  citizen  is 
a  member  of  the  community;  his  individuality  is,  in  a  sense, 
merged  into  the  life  of  the  community ;  and  just  because  the  life 
of  the  community  is  of  more  importance  than  the  life  of  the  in 
dividual,  his  identification  with  that  larger  life  is  of  greater 
dignity  and  honor  than  his  personal  excellence.  It  is  this  that 
exalts  the  title  'citizen'  above  any  other  title  designed  to  express 
individual  greatness." 

We  look  out  now  on  a  world  disturbed  in  many  matters  of 
vital  interest  to  organized  communities.  The  waves  of  So 
cialism  have  reached  our  own  shores.  There  is  no  lack  of  false 
prophets  among  us.  The  land  is  studded  with  demagogues. 
Strange  and  unlawful  assemblies,  foolishly  and  partly  riotous 
movements  and  an  uncertainty  of  action  in  some  legislatures 
and  imprudence  in  the  gubernatorial  chair  have  disgraced  sev 
eral  States  and  alarmed  the  whole  nation. 

While  in  the  midst  of  an  upheaval  which  shakes  all  beliefs, 
which  alarms  even  the  boldest,  the  good  citizen  can  see  in  the 
too  easily  acquired  American  citizenship  the  primal  cause  of  our 
present  troubles  and  our  future  dangers. 

Our  Western  States  open  no  longer  vast  areas  of  new  lands. 
A  consolidated  population  calls  on  all  for  usefulness  and  econo 
my.  The  competition  of  the  almost  thinking  machinery  of  to 
day  demands  a  high  technical  skill,  and  our  great  cities  are 
overcrowded  with  the  poor,  while  our  inland  States  are  infested 
with  the  shiftless  tramp. 

An  excitable,  eager  and  energetic  press  spreads  abroad  news 
of  tumults,  strikes,  disorders,  and  the  spasmodic  crimes  of  that 
Socialism  which  (under  our  generous  license)  is  speeding  on 
to  Anarchy. 

Columbia,  serene  upon  the  mountain  heights  of  Liberty,  with 
searching  eye,  scans  the  hordes  of  these  disturbers.  A  warn- 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  321 

ing  voice  fills  the  land,  as  in  these  generally  foreign  cabals  the 
dangerous  element  is  seen,  skulking  along  to  sedition  under  the 
borrowed  cloak  of  civilization.  The  cry  of  freedom's  sentinel 
is,  "Close  the  doors!  Scan  all  who  knock  at  freedom's  gates! 
Keep  out  the  unworthy." 

We  greet  and  welcome  every  one  who  has  fought  our  battles 
— shed  his  blood  with  us  for  our  flag — from  whatever  nation  or 
clime.  We  welcome  and  share  with  them,  with  their  children 
and  kin,  all  privileges  and  rights  of  citizenship.  Whoever 
comes  fitted  by  education,  by  intelligence,  by  desire  for  good 
and  the  right,  we  greet  and  hail ;  but  there  let  us  stop. 

The  scholar,  thinker  and  moralist  may  coldly  reason  that  the 
social  pressure  will  finally  relieve  itself,  that  the  self-regulative 
instinct  of  the  best  Americans  will  decide  all  our  questions  at 
the  polls,  and  that  the  real  American  will  always  rule  in  our 
councils  and  hand  down  our  heritage  unimpaired.  It  is  trust 
ing  too  much  to  the  doctrines  of  chances  to  allow  the  land  we 
love  to  become  the  rallying  place,  the  haven  and  the  prey  of 
those  who  lift  no  hand  to  guard  its  liberties,  and  put  no  shoul 
der  to  the  wheel  of  progress.  The  dangers  of  Anarchy  come 
not  to  us  from  the  Anglo-Saxon.  It  is  the  heritage  of  diseased 
dreamers  of  '48. 

Our  great  cities,  which  should  be  monuments  of  municipal 
progress,  are  largely  controlled  by  those  who  handle  the  anti- 
American  political  element.  To-day,  in  our  broad  land  the 
password  should  be  given  from  friend  to  friend,  "Watch  that 
man  who  does  nothing  in  return  for  his  citizenship." 

Our  place  among  nations  will  depend  upon  lifting  up  the 
status  and  responsibility  of  the  individual  voter. 

Franchise  as  a  trust,  citizenship  as  a  state  involving  grave 
duties  as  well  as  giving  a  means  to  place  and  preferment — these 
new  and  clear  definitions  must  be  insisted  upon. 

No  public  measure  can  rise  above  the  wisdom  and  virtue  of 
the  better  classes.  No  party  should  dare  now  to  promulgate 
a  platform  which  caters  to  the  passions  of  the  vicious,  the  level- 
er  and  the  unworthy. 

Peace  has  its  duties  as  sacred  to  the  defense  of  our  liberties 
as  the  call  to  arms,  and  a  full,  resolute  and  honest  performance 
of  all  the  duties  of  citizenship  is  called  for  to-day  from  every 
man  who  claims  the  elective  franchise. 

There  are  no  great  questions  of  home  or  foreign  policy  to 
divide  our  people,  at  present.  Not  one  of  the  critics  or  alarm 
ists  who  now  sound  their  warning  notes  claims  that  there  are 
fundamental  errors  in  our  Constitution  and  Laws.  Average 


322  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

harvests,  a  sound  state  of  public  health  and  an  absence  of  burn 
ing  questions  make  this  a  time  for  us  to  survey  the  future  from 
certain  positions  of  assured  success.  The  question  of  an  ad 
justment  of  our  tariff  laws  is  one  to  be  regularly  dealt  with  by 
a  general  discussion,  a  consensus  of  opinion  and  the  final  regu 
lation  of  the  popular  vote.  But  a  conviction  has  stolen  upon  us 
that  our  Government  does  not  govern  as  well  as  it  might.  That 
legislative,  municipal  and  Congressional  officials  should  be 
higher  in  their  aims,  purer  in  action  and  more  directly  respon 
sible  to  the  worthy  classes.  While  the  fabric  of  our  laws  is 
good,  while  the  press  and  pulpit  loudly  urge  reform,  and  while 
the  educational,  charitable  and  reformatory  institutions  of  our 
land  are  unsurpassed,  there  is  a  lack  of  confidence  in  party,  a 
weariness  in  the  public  mind,  and  a  breaking  up  of  old 
standards. 

The  agitation  produced  by  the  Socialist,  of  every  class,  the 
insane  schemes  or  menacing  gatherings  of  the  unworthy,  the 
open  demand  for  State  support  and  many  chimerical  levelling 
measures  prove  now  that  we  have  intrusted  the  franchise  to 
many  who  would  not  lift  up  the  status  of  the  citizen,  but  pull 
all  down  into  the  gulf  of  failure,  in  which  Fourierism,  Com 
munism,  Socialism  and  Nihilism  have  dragged,  or  will  drag, 
all  their  adherents. 

The  lawless  measures,  loud  menaces  and  unpunished  tres 
passers  of  self-elected  communal  tramp  leaders  are  tolerated  by 
many  of  our  citizens.  It  seems  that  the  violent  taking  of  life 
alone  seems  to  awaken  these  political  dreamers.  But  uninter 
rupted  trade,  laws  defied,  startled  communities  and  paralyzed 
industries  prove  to  the  clear-eyed  thinker  that  the  public  peace 
has  been  gravely  violated  by  the  men  who  loudly  call  on  the 
State  to  do  for  them  while  they  are  trying  to  pull  it  down. 

The  open  general  attack  upon  property  and  its  possessors, 
the  defiance  of  the  rights  of  the  prudent,  industrious  and  saving, 
the  negation  of  individual  enterprise  by  these  water-fly  Rienzis 
of  an  hour,  have  filled  our  land  with  clamor. 

Never  before  has  our  land  been  overrun  with  considerable 
bodies  of  wanderers,  who,  claiming  public  sympathy,  leave  a 
train  of  broken  laws  and  trampled  rights  behind  them. 

It  is  the  boast  of  this  not  by  any  means  trifling  "party,"  so 
styled,  that  public  men  lean  to  them,  that  they  have  a  distinct 
political  purpose,  and  that  an  implied  menace  follows  these 
ravings. 

Then  to  us,  the  lovers  of  the  law,  the  conservators  of  order, 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  323 

conies  the  duty  to  sift  out  and  find  what  manner  of  men 
these  be. 

It  is  the  citizens  who  rally  to-day,  for  the  right,  around  the 
altars  of  a  blood-bought  liberty,  to  send  out  no  uncertain  warn 
ing  to  our  magistrates,  leaders  and  public  officials.  We  can 
see  the  insidious  effort  to  make  divisions  between  class  and 
class,  to  unite  racial  and  religious  dissension,  to  brand  the  hav 
ing  or  holding  of  property  as  the  evidence  of  a  past  crime 
against  the  shiftless  loiterer. 

To-day,  in  America,  hurl  back  the  statement  that  our  laws 
are  unjust. 

There  is  no  land  in  the  world  where  the  reward  of  industry 
is  so  ample,  the  road  to  prosperity  and  home-getting  so  easy, 
as  in  the  United  States  of  America.  It  is  madness  to  demand 
that  a  republican  form  of  government  is  a  mere  life  assurance 
for  the  criminal,  the  drone,  the  vicious  or  the  mere  discontented. 

Within  the  last  year,  in  their  own  lands,  the  advocates  of  this 
levelling  doctrine  have  met  and  patiently  submitted  to  the  stern 
repression  of  their  countrymen  at  home. 

It  is  time  for  the  good  citizens  of  our  States  to  begin  and 
trust  with  office  or  public  service  only  those  who  return  to  the 
commonwealth  a  faithful  performance  of  their  trust.  To  reso 
lutely  insist  that  the  right  shall  prevail,  that  unemployed  mobs 
shall  not  dictate  to  the  peaceful  artisans,  or  disturb  the  quiet 
home. 

In  a  general  effort  to  sustain  and  execute  our  laws  the  spirit 
of  order  and  fellow  feeling  will  rise  in  the  security  of  our 
tranquil  land.  No  land  has  ever  seen  more  judiciously  em 
ployed  charity — a  greater  beneficence,  a  kindlier  fellow  feeling 
than  the  American  communities  have  displayed  during  the  re 
cent  general  depression.  The  journalist,  churchman,  thinker, 
merchant  and  home  defender  can  point  to  the  organized  well 
doing  of  the  last  winter,  and  sternly  ask  of  the  Socialistic  rebels 
against  public  order  to  point  out  their  contribution  to  any  good 
cause.  The  institutions  of  our  beloved  land,  the  settled  customs 
of  humanity  and  the  code  of  republicanism  have  been  put  on 
trial  by  men  who  bear  no  burdens,  pay  no  taxes,  and  neither  in 
deeds,  blood  nor  innate  merit  are  entitled  to  a  full,  or  any  voice 
in  regulating  our  affairs. 

It  is  not  a  slur  upon  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  worthy 
naturalized  citizens  to  say  that  the  doctrines  and  practice  of 
Anarchy  or  incipient  disorder  are  directly  traceable  to  foreign 
disturbers,  to  codes  and  creeds  brought  here,  of  vicious  and 
alien  origin. 


324  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTEKFIELD 

It  is  undeniable  that  their  following  is  not  of  native  birth, 
that  in  our  peculiarly  American  communities  the  average  trials 
of  State,  National  and  business  life  are  met  with  a  truly  Amer 
ican  dignity  and  patience. 

The  situation  of  our  land  is  peculiar.  We  have  no  assembly 
of  notables,  no  aristocracy,  no  crown  to  issue  a  fiat  to  the  ad 
herents  of  what  is  practically  "mob  law,"  but,  to-day,  on  the 
anniversary  of  the  birthday  of  Freedom,  the  children  of  the 
State  will  resolve  to  demand  some  return  from  these  wayfarers 
in  life,  for  the  peace  and  protection  of  our  land.  The  watch 
word  goes  out,  "Respect  for  the  laws  and  safety  for  the  insti 
tutions  of  our  land." 

In  spite  of  the  railing  of  demagogues  it  is  true  that  the  useful 
and  law-abiding  citizens  of  America  bear  patiently  the  whole 
burden  of  our  civilization.  The  energetic,  the  rich,  the  effective 
hold  up  our  enterprises,  sustain  our  charities,  endow  our  uni 
versities,  and  ornament  and  decorate  our  land  with  homes  and 
monuments. 

Here  where  neither  title,  privilege,  garb,  hereditary  dignity 
nor  form  of  address  are  reserved  to  the  rich  and  important,  the 
wail  of  the  incipient  Anarchist  is  the  loudest.  Here  we  can 
discern  their  determination  to  run  liberty  into  license  and  per 
sonal  freedom  into  lawlessness. 

The  cowardice,  the  inefficiency,  the  treason  to  any  form  of 
restraint  of  these  would-be  "Jack  Cades"  is  beginning  to  weary 
our  worthy  citizens  who  do  not  watch  this  unmoved. 

^S5|C******* 

Eloquence,  says  Emerson,  is  a  speech  in  which  there  is  a 
man  behind  every  word.  Victorious  war,  says  history,  is  that 
contest  in  which  intelligence  and  morality  serve  the  guns,  and 
now  you,  my  old  comrades  in  arms  who  are  here  present,  recall 
how  rich  was  our  war  in  these  personal  qualities.  That  war 
has  taught  us  that  the  poetry  of  heroism  is  indeed  not  in  the  dis 
tance.  For  every  one  of  your  comrades  who  are  gone  and  you 
here,  born  in  battle  it  may  be  said,  beneath  your  caps  is  a  head 
as  honest  and  noble  in  all  its  thoughts  as  any  that  ever  wore 
a  helmet  or  bore  a  knightly  crest;  beneath  the  blouses  beat 
hearts  as  pure  and  unselfish  as  a  woman's,  but  filled  with  the 
loftiest  courage.  The  hands  that  poised  the  muskets  which 
gave  us  our  liberty  and  union  were  as  firm  and  true  as  any 
that  ever  splintered  a  lance  in  the  courtly  and  chivalrous  con 
tests  of  old. 

The  army,  of  which  we  are  an  integral  part,  has  passed  away. 
No  more  shall  its  bugles  break  the  sweet  stillness  of  the  morn- 


General  Butterfield  in  1900. 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  325 

ing,  when,  as  with  their  reveille,  they  saluted  the  coming  day. 
No  more  shall  the  closing  night  hear  the  rolling  of  the  tattooing 
drums.  Its  tents  are  shut,  the  cannon  have  thundered  their  last 
notes  of  defiance  and  victory. 

As  generation  after  generation  shall  pass  in  their  long  suc 
cession,  while  the  great  flag  which  we  brought  at  the  head  of 
our  marching  columns  floats  over  a  free  and  united  people,  it 
will  be  remembered  that  in  their  day  and  generation,  in  their 
time  and  place,  our  fallen  comrades  did  for  liberty  and  for  law, 
for  the  Constitution  and  for  the  Union,  as  did  their  forefathers 
in  the  Revolution,  historic  deeds  worthy  of  immortal  honor, 
deeds  that  in  endless  characters  shall  shine  on  glory's  brightest 
page. 

Look  to  it,  comrades,  by  your  example  and  your  work  while 
you  live,  that  this  shall  not  be  lost.  There  is  danger  in  the  air ! 
It  is  only  to  know  it — to  think  of  it — and  to  be  prepared  for  it. 
American  intelligence — American  patriotism — courage  and  en 
durance  will  meet  it — subdue  it — and  end  it. 

ADDRESS  AT  THE  DEDICATION   OF  THE 
HERKIMER  MONUMENT,  NOV.  12,  1896. 

[We  are  indebted  to  Col.  John  W.  Vrooman,  Chairman  of  the  Herki- 
mer  Monument  Commission,  for  a  copy  of  the  report  transmitted  to  tfie 
New  York  Legislature,  January  19,  1897,  containing  the  accompanying  ad 
dress  by  General  Butterfield.— EDITOR.] 

However  pleasant  it  may  be  to  receive  such  a  complimentary 
introduction,  it  is  embarrassing,  for  we  are  not  here  to  honor 
ourselves,  but  to  honor  one  for  whom  this  monument  has  been 
erected. 

The  Commissioners  who  have  so  successfully  completed  their 
labors,  as  you  have  heard,  have  devolved  upon  me  the  official 
duty  of  formally  presenting  and  handing  over  to  you,  sir,  as 
the  representative  of  the  State  of  New  York,  the  muniments 
of  title  and  records  of  ownership  and  possession  by  the  State 
of  the  monument  to-day  dedicated.  The  State  honors  itself  in 
this  tribute  to  the  memory  of  that  patriot  and  brave  soldier, 
General  Herkimer. 

Modest  and  unpretending  as  the  structure  is  compared  with 
the  merits  and  deeds  of  Herkimer,  the  State  and  the  people 
have  reason  to  be  grateful  to  the  Commissioners  that  they  have 
accomplished  so  much  with  the  limited  means  placed  at  their 
disposal  by  the  Legislature.  Their  patriotism  and  public  spirit 
has,  by  their  personal  contributions,  enabled  them  to  exceed 
the  appropriation  made. 


326  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

To  the  fact  of  the  Mohawk  Valley  being  my  birthplace,  with 
in  sounding  distance  of  the  guns  of  the  battle  of  Oriskany,  with 
my  military  services,  must  be  attributed  my  selection  for  this 
portion  of  the  official  ceremony. 

It  is  most  gratifying  to  find  a  gallant  soldier  who  served 
under  me  (Colonel  Ehlers)  exercising  the  official  function  in 
this  afternoon's  ceremonies  at  the  monument  of  that  noble,  an 
cient  and  honorable  order  of  which  General  Herkimer,  as  well 
as  General  Washington,  were  members. 

It  was  indeed  most  appropriate  that  the  symbols  and  imple 
ments  of  the  craft  were  used  in  the  beautiful  dedicatory  serv 
ice.  The  Deputy  Grand  Master's  Jewel,  the  Square,  teaching 
the  principles  of  morality  and  virtue,  recalled  four  cardinal 
points  of  Herkimer's  character:  honor,  courage,  devotion  and 
patriotism.  The  Level,  the  jewel  of  the  Senior  Grand  Warden, 
teaching  equality,  fitly  symbolized  Herkimer's  love  of  right  and 
sympathy  with  his  fellow  man,  and  the  Plumb,  the  jewel  of  the 
Junior  Grand  Warden,  teaching  rectitude  of  conduct  and  to 
walk  uprightly  before  Heaven  and  before  man,  fitly  illustrated 
the  truth,  justice  and  virtue  which  characterized  the  life  of  the 
grand  old  hero.  The  graceful  speech  and  eloquence  with  the 
dignified  ceremonial  of  the  Masonic  officials  arrayed  in  their 
official  regalia  made  a  fitting  frame  and  setting  for  the  com 
pletion  of  the  Commissioners'  noble  work  that  none  who  were 
present  will  ever  forget. 

It  is  a  further  pleasure  to  find  here  also  a  representative  body 
of  the  descendants  of  the  patriots  of  the  War  of  the  Revolution. 
The  blood  of  their  ancestors  courses  through  their  veins  to-day, 
and  thrills  with  pride  and  pleasure  at  the  State's  recognition 
of  Revolutionary  service.  It  is  a  matter  of  pride  and  honor  to 
take  part  in  any  act  or  ceremony  which  adds  a  laurel  or  chaplet 
to  the  memory  and  honor  of  a  grand  type  of  patriot  and  soldier, 
who,  wounded  and  dying,  would  not  give  up  the  fight,  but  won 
the  victory  on  the  battlefield,  where  our  glorious  emblem — the 
Stars  and  Stripes — for  the  first  time  in  our  existence  as  a 
nation,  floated  in  battle  and  in  victory. 

Grand,  glorious  Herkimer!  The  blood  of  the  hero  and  the 
patriots  he  commanded  was  not  shed  in  vain.  It  is  a  precious 
memory  and  honor  to  the  Mohawk  Valley.  May  the  State  pre 
serve  and  perpetuate  this  monument.  May  these  records  stand 
in  the  archives  of  the  Capitol,  a  perpetual  reminder  that  New 
York  State,  even  after  the  lapse  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
years,  has  remembered  to  honor  the  hero  who,  though  wounded, 
declared  he  would  "face  the  enemy,"  and  won  from  Washing- 


327 

ton  words  of  highest  praise  and  recognition  for  his  glorious 
work  at  the  battle  of  Oriskany. 

It  will  exceed  the  duty  assigned  me  to  trespass  upon  the 
limits  of  time  and  the  work  of  the  honored  jurist  and  citizen  of 
Herkimer,  Chief  Justice  Earl,  who  is  to  follow  me,  should  I 
yield  to  the  inspiration  of  the  hour  and  the  occasion  and  enter 
upon  any  further  eulogism  of  Herkimer,  the  hero,  and  the  his 
tory  that  has  led  to  this  creation  and  commemoration. 

Take,  sir,  these  documents  and  muniments,  on  behalf  of  the 
State  from  the  Commissioners,  and  may  you  carry  with  them  to 
the  Governor  and  the  Legislature  the  spirit  that  has  manifested 
itself  here,  and  re-echo  the  spirit  and  patriotism  of  the  hero 
whose  record  and  renown  we  commemorate.  Carry  with  them 
also  the  hope  and  wish  of  every  citizen  of  New  York  State 
that  the  splendid  work  which  has  thus  far  been  done,  and  is 
doing  by  the  State,  at  Saratoga,  at  Gettysburg,  Antietam,  Chat 
tanooga,  and  the  various  battlefields  of  the  last  war,  may  con 
tinue,  until  the  services  of  the  gallant  Colonel  Marinus  Willett, 
in  seizing  in  New  York  City  the  arms  with  which  he  fought  at 
Oriskany,  with  his  victory  over  Doxtater's  Tories  and  the  war 
riors  of  the  Six  Nations,  at  Cedar  Creek,  near  Sharon  Springs, 
July  10,  1781 — that  the  scene  of  the  first  blood  shed  on  the 
American  continent  between  American  citizens  and  British 
troops  at  Golden  Hill,  in  John  Street,  New  York  City ;  that  the 
death  of  the  brave  Colonel  Knowlton,  at  the  battle  of  Harlem 
Heights,  also  in  New  York  City;  with  Colonel  Glover's  sharp 
fight  against  the  advance  of  Howe's  army,  at  Troogs  Neck,  in 
October,  1776,  "Bemis  Heights,"  Stillwater  and  other  like 
events,  matters  of  National  as  well  as  State  pride,  may  receive 
recognition  and  memorial,  to  be  preserved  and  perpetuated  to 
coming  generations.  Who  shall  tell  what  seeds  of  patriotism, 
national  pride  and  hostility  to  anarchy  and  national  dishonor 
would  have  been  planted  in  the  hearts  of  the  myriads  of  emi 
grants  and  new-coming  citizens  who  passed  through  the  fertile 
Mohawk  Valley  for  a  score  of  years  before  the  days  of  rail 
roads,  if  memorials  like  those  alluded  to,  and  this  of  to-day, 
had  greeted  them?  The  occasion  of  to-day,  this  presence  and 
the  purpose  for  which  we  are  assembled,  make  fitting  and  ap 
propriate  new  reminders,  and  call  for  thankful  recognition  of 
the  Oneida  Historical  Society's  work  in  connection  with  the 
battlefield  of  Herkimer's  glory  at  Oriskany. 


328 


ADDRESS  AT  THE  REUNION  AT  CHATTANOOGA, 
SEPTEMBER  18,  1895. 

To  speak  of  General  Hooker  and  his  forces,  brought  from 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  here,  with  a  view  of  doing  justice  to 
the  work  and  the  merits  of  both,  in  the  great  struggle  which 
brought  all  the  armies  here  represented  into  existence,  would 
demand  time  beyond  the  limits  to  spare  on  an  occasion  like  this. 

I  must  not  exceed  the  limits  of  proper  thanks  for  your  kindly 
and  fraternal  remembrance  in  a  brief  resume  of  the  service  of 
the  detachment  sent  out  to  reinforce  the  Army  of  the  Cumber 
land  in  its  hour  of  great  trial,  and  a  few  words  of  its  com 
mander,  that  splendid  soldier,  General  Joseph  Hooker. 

The  lack  of  organized  and  serviceable  information  on  the 
part  of  our  Government  and  commanders  in  the  East,  with  the 
skill  and  ability  of  our  opponents,  permitted  Longstreet's  corps 
to  be  detached  from  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  under 
Lee,  in  the  presence  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  under  Meade, 
and  fall  upon  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  with  superior  forces, 
while  its  commander,  General  Rosecrans,  had  been  assured 
that  no  troops  had  been  so  detached. 

Their  arrival  surprised  Rosecrans  at  Chickamauga,  and  pro 
duced  a  result  calling  for  immediate  reinforcement. 

That  reinforcement,  sent  when  the  gallant  Army  of  the  Cum 
berland  was  on  the  verge  of  starvation,  accomplished  its  im 
mediate  purpose  in  opening  up  the  line  of  communication  with 
Chattanooga  that  Rosecrans'  most  brilliant  strategy  had  con 
quered,  and  made  possible  a  new  and  future  base  of  operations, 
which,  but  for  the  timely  arrival  of  Hooker  with  our  Potomac 
troops,  might  possibly  have  been  lost  through  the  strength  of 
the  reinforced  enemy. 

That  detachment  under  General  Hooker,  subsequently  be 
came  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  until  separated  and 
merged  into  the  Army  of  Georgia  under  General  Sherman  for 
the  great  pictorial  March  to  the  Sea,  while  its  gallant  and  best- 
beloved  commander,  the  grand  soldier,  whom  every  true  patriot 
and  soldier  that  served  under  him  placed  at  the  highest  pin 
nacle  for  ability  and  true  greatness,  George  H.  Thomas,  was 
left  to  guard  and  defend  the  lines  and  territory  which  the  Army 
of  the  Cumberland  had  conquered. 

This  brief  outline  covers  the  events  which  brought  together 
two  corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  with  the  Army  of  the 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  329 

Cumberland,  and  made  them  part  of  that  army.  This  service 
caused  your  special  recognition  to-day,  and  through  its  results, 
a  knowledge  on  the  part  of  all  who  participated,  of  the  char 
acter  and  training  of  both  armies. 

There  is  no  similar  instance,  to  my  knowledge,  where  a  body 
of  troops,  equal  to  a  small  army,  moved  to  and  incorporated 
with  another  and  a  larger  army  under  a  new  commander,  ever 
so  quickly,  so  thoroughly,  and  so  absolutely  became  inspired 
with  enthusiastic  admiration,  enthusiasm,  confidence  and  re 
spect  for  that  new  commander,  as  did  our  detachment  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac;  from  its  chief — the  gallant  Hooker — 
down  to  the  humblest  private,  all,  feel  toward  that  grand  man, 
magnificent  soldier  and  great  patriot,  George  H.  Thomas. 

Would  that  every  citizen  and  inhabitant  of  the  United  States 
could  understand  and  know,  as  we  do,  his  merits,  his  services 
and  his  ability.  He  had  no  superior  and  few  equals. 

Our  love  for  and  confidence  in  him  cemented  the  bond  of 
union  between  our  portion  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  which  has  never  been,  and  never 
will  be,  broken  as  long  as  there  are  survivors. 

Of  the  incidents  of  our  service  here  before  as  Potomac  Corps, 
we  were  subdivided  and  merged  into  the  Army  of  the  Cumber 
land  and  elsewhere,  it  is  not  vainglorious  or  immodest  to  speak 
of  the  splendid  fighting  of  General  Greene's  New  York  Bri 
gade,  at  Wauhatchie ;  General  Orland  Smith's  Brigade,  at  the 
Hill  we  now  call  Smith's  Hill,  in  the  Wauhatchie  Valley,  and 
the  fighting  of  the  other  troops  of  our  command,  when  JLong- 
street  made  his  night  attack  to  defeat  our  purpose  and  duty. 

Hemmed  in  as  you  were  in  Chattanooga,  our  night  fight  in 
darkness,  only  lightened  by  the  flash  of  musketry  gleaming  on 
charging  bayonets,  you  did  not  then  so  clearly  understand  and 
know  what  good  work  it  was. 

We  were  proud  of  it,  we  have  been  ever  since,  we  are  now, 
and  we  have  a  right  to  be.  We  were  the  more  gratified  and 
proud  of  it  when  we  came  to  know  and  be  of  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland. 

The  arrival  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee  here  made  it  evi 
dent  that  reorganization  would  not  further  keep  us  in  one  body 
to  particularly  emphasize  our  Army  of  the  Potomac  training 
in  the  new  field  of  duty.  One  corps  entire  was  transferred, 
broken  up  and  merged  with  troops  under  Generals  Sherman 
and  Grant.  General  Hooker  was  left  with  a  portion  of  one 
division,  and  but  for  the  breaking  of  the  pontoon  bridge  from 
the  Wauhatchie  Valley  across  the  Tennessee,  having  prevented 


330  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

Cruft's  division  of  the  Cumberland  and  Osterhaus's  division 
of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee  getting  into  Chattanooga  for  the 
planned  and  prepared  assault  of  the  Confederate  line  on  Mis 
sionary  Ridge,  you  may  never  have  known  and  seen,  as  you 
did,  the  brilliant  and  soldierly  qualities  of  General  Hooker  and 
the  remainder  of  his  detachment,  as  exhibited  in  the  assault 
thus  caused. 

The  ability  displayed  in  crossing  Lookout  Creek,  surprising 
and  capturing  the  enemy's  pickets,  forming  the  line  up  the  side 
of  the  mountain,  turning  the  enemies'  flank,  and  moving  down 
and  around  the  face  of  Lookout,  covering  the  crossing  of  Oster 
haus's  Division  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  and  Cruft's  Divi 
sion  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  while  sweeping  the  enemy 
out  of  their  rifle  pits,  was  a  masterly  and  a  great  movement  in 
the  art  of  war.  The  union  in  a  grand  line  of  a  division  from 
each  army,  advancing  to  capture  the  mountain,  around  the  front 
and  over  the  nose  of  Lookout,  amidst  alternate  fog,  clouds  and 
sunshine,  the  plainly  defined  and  progressive  line  of  battle  of 
these  combined  forces,  each  and  all  pressing  forward  under 
physical  difficulties  of  the  worst  character,  with  flags  and  lead 
ers  in  advance,  was  an  inspiring  and  brilliant  spectacle,  that 
none  who  witnessed  it  will  ever  forget. 

It  was  an  object  lesson  of  mountain  climbing  in  the  face  of 
the  enemy  to  the  troops  in  Chattanooga,  of  whose  repetition 
of  it  the  next  day,  at  Mission  Ridge,  we  were  equally  proud 
with  our  comrades  from  the  other  armies.  Those  who  saw  or 
participated  in  these  events  will  never  forget,  or  cease  to  be 
proud  of  them. 

No  spectacle  in  our  war  ever  surpassed  the  climbing  and 
capture  of  Lookout.  It  was  equaled  by  the  storming  of  Cha- 
pultepec  and  the  glorious  assault  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumber 
land  up  and  over  Mission  Ridge.  But  for  the  delay  caused  by 
the  failure  of  pontoons  reaching  us  to  cross  Chattanooga  Creek 
in  time,  the  combined  divisions  of  the  three  armies  under 
Hooker  would  have  first  found  the  enemy's  flank,  and  moved 
to  sweep  the  Ridge  and  clear  the  way  for  the  Army  of  the  Cum 
berland.  As  it  was,  we  arrived  on^the  enemy's  left  simultan 
eously  with  the  right  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland. 

That  scene  can  never  be  forgotten.  The  declining  sun  shone 
brightly  yet  on  the  bayonets  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
and  those  of  Hooker's  command  as  we  advanced  and  met  on  the 
summit.  Osterhaus  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Ridge,  Cruft's 
on  the  centre,  and  Geary  on  the  western  slope,  all  advancing, 
while  the  troops  of  Sherman  and  Thomas  climbed  the  Ridge  in 


331 

front  under  the  enemy's  fire.  The  climax,  the  possession  of 
Mission  Ridge,  the  capture  of  much  war  material,  and  a  great 
and  glorious  victory  over  brave  and  gallant  opponents,  I  can 
find  no  language  to  fitly  describe. 

The  report  of  it  by  an  eye  witness,  General  Meigs,  Chief 
Quartermaster,  an  able  soldier  and  engineer,  made  to  the  Sec 
retary  of  War  at  the  time — when  you  read  it  will  recall  your 
enthusiasm  and  pride.  The  language,  fitting  and  appropriate, 
I  could  not  attempt  to  alter  or  improve. 

General  Hooker's  execution  in  this  campaign  of  the  duty  en 
trusted  to  him  to  make  a  demonstration  on  Lookout  the  first 
day  and  move  on  the  enemy's  flank  the  next,  introduced  him 
more  thoroughly  as  a  soldier  and  captain  to  your  army  here. 

General  Thomas  spoke  of  our  operations  in  his  General  Or 
der  of  November  7,  1863,  as  "of  so  brilliant  a  character  as  to 
deserve  special  notice."  We  all  know  General  Thomas  always 
meant  exactly  what  he  said.  Such  action  and  skill  brought  out 
admiration  for  Hooker's  thorough  knowledge  of  his  profession 
and  his  duties. 

His  magnificent  physique  and  genial  bearing,  with  his  mag 
netic  influence  over  his  command,  soon  became  apparent.  It 
contradicted  the  effect  of  reckless  statements  of  his  personal 
habits  and  character.  From  a  long  service  with  him  and  every 
opportunity  to  judge  and  know  by  personal  observation,  I  de 
nounce  these  statements  as  false.  The  time  has  come  when 
his  old  comrades  and  those  who  knew  him  best  should  set  this 
slander  finally  at  rest.  Fearless  in  the  expressions  of  his  opin 
ions  and  his  criticisms,  he  gave  offence  often  without  intending 
offence,  but  claiming,  when  remonstrated  with  concerning  it, 
that  the  expression  of  a  truthful  opinion  was  the  duty  of  a 
patriot  and  the  privilege  of  a  gentleman.  We  can  overlook 
these  expressions  from  their  sincerity  and  lack  of  malignity, 
and  the  bitter  hostility  they  brought  him. 

Outspoken  and  fearless  in  speech — in  conduct  vigilant — 
wonderfully  skilled  in  strategy,  his  troops  soon  learned  that  no 
soldiers  life  would  be  uselessly  imperilled  through  his  orders, 
and  that  no  personal  peril  must  forbid  or  endanger  the  accom 
plishment  of  a  necessary  military  purpose,  or  the  winning  of  a 
battle. 

In  the  recent  celebration  of  his  old  corps  at  Hadley,  Mass., 
a  distinguished  soldier  and  orator  here  present  with  us  truly 
said  of  him :  "In  the  conception  of  military  operations,  Hooker 
was  audacious,  original,  acute ;  in  executing  them  he  was  ener 
getic,  yet  circumspect  and  prudent.  He  was  severe  in  discip- 


332  GENEEAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

line,  exacting  in  his  demands  upon  officers  and  men;  lofty  in 
his  ideal  of  the  soldier's  intrepidity,  fortitude,  earnestness  and 
zeal,  yet,  he  was  generous  in  praise,  quick  to  see  and  recog 
nize  ability  and  merit,  as  well  in  the  ranks  of  his  adversary  as 
in  his  own. 

A  soldier  by  intuition,  instinct  and  profession.  Hooker's 
sword  was  adorned  by  the  best  accomplishments  known  to  the 
art  of  war.  His  character  thoroughly  military.  He  was  fit 
for  command.  He  was  proud  of  the  profession  of  arms.  He 
brought  to  it  the  highest  accomplishments  of  a  soldier.  His 
manner  and  bearing  were  distinguished,  yet  urbane  and  gentle. 
His  temper  was  quick,  yet  forgiving.  He  was  gracious  to 
junior  officers  and  prompt  to  recognize  merit. 

Diligent  and  punctilious  in  the  discharge  of  duty.  Toward 
all  under  his  command  he  was  exacting  in  discipline,  inexorable 
to  the  laggard,  prodigal  in  praise  to  the  zealous  and  diligent. 
He  always  bowed  to  superior  power  with  the  same  loyalty 
that  he  demanded  from  his  own  troops. 

He  never  sulked  in  his  tent  when  summoned  to  battle.  He 
was  a  patriot.  He  loved  his  country.  He  loved  its  defenders. 
He  has  passed  into  history  with  the  great  characters  of  '61  to 
'65.  He  filled  glorious  pages  of  our  American  annals. 

He  served  the  country  under  McClellan,  Burnside,  Thomas, 
Sherman  and  Grant  with  unfaltering  fidelity  and  zeal.  When 
relieved  from  the  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  the 
only  favor  he  asked  of  Lincoln  was  the  privilege  of  changing 
places  with  Meade — to  command  a  corps  under  his  late  subor 
dinate — so  that  he  might  share  in  the  dangers  and  honors  of 
the  campaign  he  had  begun.  That  campaign  was  completed 
successfully  by  battle  at  Gettysburg,  the  point  he  had  selected 
two  weeks  in  advance.*  Never  was  the  great  Confederate 
Chieftain,  Lee,  outflanked  when  forces  were  equal,  save  when 


*Before  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  crossed  the  Potomac  for  the  Gettys 
burg  campaign  General  Hooker,  taking  a  map  of  Pennsylvania  and  point 
ing  to  it,  said  to  me:  "General  Lee  will  repeat  his  campaign  of  last  year 
across  the  Potomac.  He  will  cross  here  (pointing  to  Williamsport  on  the 
map).  They  are  finding  great  fault  with  me  that  I  do  not  attempt  to  pre 
vent  his  crossing.  Why,  I  would  lay  the  bridges  for  him  and  present  arms 
to  his  forces  rather  than  they  should  not  cross.  We  will  guide  his  march 
after  he  crosses  and  keep  him  to  the  other  side  of  this  range  (pointing  to 
the  range  of  mountains  laid  down  on  the  map,  extending  from  the  Poto 
mac  to  the  vicinity  of  Gettysburg,  and  running  his  finger  along  stopped  at 
the  position  of  Gettysburg  on  the  map),  and  we  will  fight  the  battle  here. 
We  will  have  every  available  man  in  the  field,  and  if  Lee  escapes  with 
his  army  the  country  are  entitled  to  and  should  have  my  head  for  a  foot 
ball."  D.  Butterfield.  Above  in  answer  to  General  Sickles'  suggestion  in 
his  letter  requesting  publication  of  my  address. 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  333 

Hooker  commanded  against  him.  Massachusetts  has  this 
proud  record  for  her  first  soldier. 

I  may  be  permitted,  in  discharging  the  duty  assigned  me,  to 
speak  of  Hooker  and  his  army,  to  echo  and  repeat  his  oft-ex 
pressed  sentiments  concerning  General  Thomas  and  our  Army 
of  the  Cumberland.  They  were  ever  full  of  admiration,  high 
confidence  and  esteem. 

This  occasion  would  not  be  complete  did  I  fail  to  recognize 
the  astounding  ability  and  courage  shown  by  our  opponents  in 
those  days.  The  brilliant  strategy  and  tactics  of  that  great 
commander,  General  Joe  Johnson,  the  courage  and  skill  of 
Longstreet  (bozving  to  Longstreet  on  the  stage)  and  I  am  glad 
to  see  him  here  to-night ;  the  vigor  and  force  and  soldierly  quali 
ties  of  Bragg,  Hood,  Stewart,  Cleburne  and  others,  to  mention 
all  of  whom  would  be  almost  to  read  the  Confederate  roster. 

But  for  this  we  could  claim  no  laurels  of  our  battles.  Thank 
ful  that  they  are  not  tinged  with  bitterness,  malignity  or  un 
kind  feelings  on  either  side,  may  we  ever  remain  united  with 
our  glorious  flag,  free  institutions  and  government  so  aptly 
described  by  the  immortal  Lincoln,  in  Henry  Wilson's  words, 
as  the  "Government  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  for  the  people." 

God  grant  if  ever  again  temptations  or  causes  arise  for  sec 
tional  strife,  we  may  remember  that 

"In  vain  is  our  strife,  when  its  fury  has  passed, 
Our  fortunes  must  flow  in  one  channel  at  last, 
As  the  torrents  that  rush  from  the  mountains  of  snow, 
Roll  mingled  in  peace  to  the  valleys  below. 
Our  Union  is  River,  Lake,  Ocean  and  Sky, 
Man  breaks  not  the  medal  when  God  cuts  the  die." 

ADDRESS  AT  THE  FISHKILL  MONUMENT 
DEDICATION,  OCTOBER  14,  1897. 

The  occasion  of  our  assemblage  to-day  associates  so  many 
matters  of  historical  interest  and  patriotic  pride,  that  one  pauses 
to  weigh  the  rich  material  against  the  allotted  time  for  our 
purpose. 

The  portion  of  the  country  around  the  old  village  of  Fish- 
kill,  and  for  many  miles  in  its  vicinity,  was  the  scene  of  stirring 
events  during  the  period  of  the  Revolutionary  War. 

The  precise  spot  where  we  are  assembled  has  its  particular 
historic  interest,  since  in  1776  the  Council  of  Safety  of  Fishkill 
caused  to  be  erected,  at  Washington's  request,  barracks,  built 
by  the  militia  of  the  town,  and  also  a  hospital.  The  barracks 
were  in  the  fields,  all  along  to  the  village,  in  front  of  the  memo- 


334  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

rial  we  are  here  to  dedicate ;  the  hospital  and  cemetery  behind 
it.  The  memorial  carries  the  dates,  1776,  the  year  of  its 
foundation,  and  1783,  which  latter  was  the  year  of  removal. 
Houses  in  Fishkill  yet  standing,  one  on  Main  Street,  near  the 
Poughkeepsie  Road,  were  built  from  the  timbers  taken  down  in 
the  removal  of  the  barracks. 

The  purpose  of  these  barracks,  to  care  for  the  guard  cover 
ing  the  depot  of  supplies  and  the  invalid  soldiers  of  Washing 
ton's  army,  and  why  it  was  so  chosen,  is  best  described  by  Gen 
eral  the  Marquis  de  Chastellux,  a  French  officer  and  nobleman 
of  distinction,  in  his  book  of  travels.  He  was  here  in  1780. 
He  says  of  Fishkill,  that  it  had  been  long  the  principal  depot 
where  were  placed  the  magazines,  hospitals,  workships,  etc., 
of  the  American  army,  all  of  which  formed  a  town  of  them 
selves,  composed  of  handsome,  large  barracks,  built  in  the  wood, 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountains — this  very  spot. 

I  quote  his  language,  where  he  says :  "As  for  the  position 
of  Fishkill,  that  it  was  a  post  of  great  importance  is  evident 
from  the  campaign  of  1777.  It  is  clear  that  the  plan  of  the 
English  was  to  render  themselves  masters  of  the  whole  course 
of  the  North  River,  and  thus  to  separate  the  Eastern  and  West 
ern  States.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  secure  a  post  on 
that  river.  West  Point  was  made  choice  of  as  the  most  im 
portant  to  fortify,  and  Fishkill  as  the  place  best  adapted  to  the 
establishment  of  the  principal  depot  of  provisions,  ammunition, 
etc. ;  these  two  positions  are  connected  together." 

He  speaks  of  the  politeness  shown  him,  describes  the  bar 
racks,  speaks  of  the  prisoners  in  English  uniform  whom  he 
saw  through  the  windows  of  the  prison,  and  then  speaks  of 
the  huts  occupied  by  some  hundreds  of  soldiers  near  Fishkill 
on  his  road  to  West  Point.  This  description,  written  by  a  for 
eigner  of  distinction,  and  a  soldier  of  high  honor,  gives  the 
keynote  of  the  character  and  sufferings  of  the  men  whose  mem 
ory  we  are  here  to  honor. 

The  same  character  of  testimony  is  found  repeated  in  differ 
ent  language  in  the  official  reports  of  officers  and  the  private 
letters  and  correspondence  of  hundreds  who  were  of  that  army, 
who  occupied  the  camps  and  barracks  at  West  Point,  Cold 
Spring,  Constitution  Island,  and  other  points  within  an  hour's 
ride  of  where  we  now  are. 

In  his  description  of  the  soldiers  in  these  huts,  he  says : 
"These  invalids  are  all  in  very  good  health,  but  it  is  necessary 
to  observe  that  in  the  American  army  every  soldier  is  called 
an  invalid  who  is  unfit  for  service.  Now  these  had  been  sent 
here  because  their  clothes  were  trulv  invalids.  These  honest 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  335 

fellows  were  not  even  covered  with  rags ;  but  their  steady  coun 
tenances,  and  their  arms  in  good  order,  seemed  to  supply  the 
defect  of  clothes,  and  to  display  nothing  but  their  courage  and 
their  patience." 

Speaking  afterward  of  West  Point  and  its  fortifications,  he 
says:  "A  Frenchman  would  be  surprised  that  a  nation  just 
rising  into  notice  should  have  expended  in  two  years  upward  of 
twelve  millions  of  francs  in  this  desert.  He  would  be  still 
more  so,  on  learning  that  these  fortifications  cost  nothing  to  the 
State,  being  built  by  the  soldiers,  who  received  not  the  smallest 
compensation,  and  who  did  not  even  receive  their  stated  pay." 

His  translator,  an  English  gentleman,  who  had  also  visited 
our  armies  at  that  time,  adds  to  this  statement  of  the  marquis : 
"The  zeal,  perseverance  and  honor  which  shone  forth  in  the 
American  army,  in  the  most  arduous  and  extraordinary  circum 
stances,  almost  surpasses  credibility.  They  were  in  general 
most  wretchedly  clothed,  seldom  received  any  pay,  were  fre 
quently  in  want  of  everything,  from  the  public  scarcity  of 
money  and  the  consequent  indifference  of  the  contractors,  and 
had  daily  temptations  thrown  out  to  them  of  the  most  alluring 
nature.  This  army  seemed  to  be  pervaded  but  by  one  spirit, 
and  fought  and  acted  with  as  much  enthusiastic  ardor  as  the 
most  enlightened  and  determined  leaders." 

These  were  the  words  of  foreigners,  not  Americans.  We 
may  well  be  proud  of  these  tributes  to  the  men  we  honor  today. 
But  we  must  cease  to  quote  and  repeat  what  others  said  of 
these  men,  else  we  should  occupy  time  for  hours. 

Of  these  you  can  read  for  yourselves :  from  Lossing,  in  his 
"Field  Book  of  the  War  of  the  Revolution" ;  from  Bailey,  the 
local  historian,  who  has  published  a  most  valuable  collection 
of  historical  data  of  Fishkill's  early  history;  from  Blake,  in  his 
"History  of  Putnam  County";  from  Philip  H.  Smith's  "His 
tory  of  Dutchess  County,"  and  another  by  James  H.  Smith; 
from  the  valuable  historical  sketch  of  Fishkill,  by  T.  Van  Wyck 
Brinckerhoff ;  from  Barnum's  "Spy  Unmasked,"  republished 
with  illustrations  and  an  appendix ;  all  these  are  full  of  inter 
esting  information  apropos  of  the  work  done  by  the  patriots  of 
'76  here  and  in  the  locality  around  us. 

We  have  no  clash  of  arms  and  roar  of  battle  to  describe  here ; 
but  we  are  to  honor  that  sturdy  manhood  and  patriotism  which 
caused  brave  men  to  bear  their  sufferings  heroically  and  with 
patience  for  the  sake  of  their  country  and  for  liberty. 

Let  us  choose,  rather,  to  treat  this  occasion,  then,  in  the  spirit 
of  the  sentiment  which  prompted  the  ladies  of  the  Melzingah 
Chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  in  the 


336  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

erection  of  this  memorial — graceful  recognition  of  the  patriot 
ism  and  sacrifices  of  the  noble  men  who  served  as  soldiers  in 
the  War  of  the  Revolution,  and  local  pride  and  patriotism  in 
preserving  the  memory  of  such  noble  work  as  a  reminder  and 
object  lesson  to  those  now  in  ignorance,  and  who  may  fol 
low  us  in  the  future. 

Twice  have  I  caused  to  be  introduced  in  Congress  a  bill  look 
ing  to  the  carrying  on  of  this  work  by  the  Government,  the 
same  as  we  are  engaged  in;  twice  failed,  but  shall  try  again. 

It  might,  perhaps,  be  deemed  an  extravagant  sentiment  to 
say  that  every  inch  of  ground  made  sacred  by  the  footprints  of 
a  soldier  of  the  American  Revolution  should  be  identified  for 
the  benefit  of  succeeding  generations.  But  it  is  not  too  much  to 
hope  that  every  place  where  there  occurred  any  important  inci 
dent  of  that  historic  struggle  should  be  deemed  worthy,  at 
least,  of  some  monumental  tablet  or  memorial.  (Applause.) 
The  number  of  people  who,  by  reading  this  inscription,  will 
have  their  attention  for  the  first  time  directed  to  the  story  of 
which  it  may  give  a  fragment  cannot  be  foretold.  How  few 
persons  among  those  of  our  fellow  citizens,  even  of  the  men 
and  women,  boys  and  girls,  who  may  pass  this  tablet,  have 
caught  the  spirit  of  the  seven  years'  struggle  from  1776,  the 
troubles  that  led  up  to  it,  and  the  problems  that  followed  it; 
the  armies  of  Washington  in  camp,  on  the  march,  and  in  actual 
battle;  how  they  were  raised,  how  they  were  maintained,  and 
how  they  suffered,  exemplified  in  a  military  sphere ;  the  bur 
dens  and  sacrifices  of  the  homes ;  the  anxieties  of  the  fireside ; 
the  problems  of  social  order  in  the  States ;  and  the  many  embar 
rassments  of  our  different  States. 

There  was  seldom  unity,  not  always  success ;  usually  poverty, 
and  not  always  hope;  but,  somehow,  there  was  progress.  It 
now  lay  here,  a  battle  won  there,  and  now  and  them  a  fresh  in 
centive  from  a  patriotic  home,  an  awakened  State  Legislature, 
a  fresh  trust  in  the  genius  and  the  capacity  of  a  general  or  a 
statesman — and  many  of  our  best  statesmen  were  officers  in 
the  field ;  an  American  determination  to  strive  on  and  on  until 
armed  resistance  to  our  new  government  should  disappear  from 
our  shores :  all  contributed  to  keep  the  young  republic  on  its 
feet  until  the  Old  World  began  to  receive  the  new  nation  into 
the  family  of  nations,  and  then  to  enter  into  treaties  with  it  of 
commerce  and  of  amity. 

Every  incident  connected  with  the  birth  of  the  new  nation  is 
ripe  with  inspiration  and  instruction  for  succeeding  genera 
tions.  Every  monumental  tablet  is  a  seed  of  patriotism 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  337 

fraught  with  silent  and  continuous  instruction.  It  tells 
the  casual  stranger  something  to  interest  him  as  he  passes  by ; 
it  reminds  the  youth  that  there  is  something  to  learn  about 
events  of  which  he  will  be  ashamed  to  remain  in  ignorance; 
and  it  admonishes  the  indifferent  or  the  careless  that  the  ques 
tions  of  to-day,  which  are  idly  tossed  from  his  mind  as  be 
longing  to,  what  he  may  style,  the  intrigues  of  politics,  or  the 
craft  of  politicians,  are  as  fraught  with  great  possibilities  of 
national  retrogression  or  national  advancement  as  were  in  their 
day  the  questions  so  happily  solved  by  the  wise  fathers  of  the 
republic  in  the  stormy  days  attending  the  American  Revolution. 
And  these  students,  if  so  incited  to  study  and  know  the  his 
tory  of  our  beloved  land,  and  heaven  grant  they  may,  cannot 
but  feel,  as  they  read  the  fertile  pages  of  the  history  of  those 
days,  the  most  profound  astonishment  that  that  partially  devel 
oped  young  colony,  in  the  audacious  onslaught  for  liberty  and 
the  rights  of  man  against  unjust  tyranny,  displayed  such  an 
aggregate  of  almost  superhuman  effort  and  accomplished  such 
results. 

Well  might  the  astonished  commander  of  the  English  forces, 
with  superior  numbers  in  his  favor,  exclaim  in  his  wrath  at 
defeat:  "What  are  these  men  made  of?" 

If  it  be  true  that  a  nation,  like  the  human  body,  is  healthy  in 
proportion  to  the  purity  and  strength  of  its  blood,  then  the 
blood  that  nerved  the  arms  and  developed  that  army  of  patriots, 
and  now  speaks  to  us  with  trumpet  tongues  from  this  sacred 
soil  which  to-day  we  dedicate,  was  the  healthy,  pure  outcome 
of  God-given  strength. 

Oh,  could  a  shade  of  the  spirits  once  here  arise  from  yonder 
field  now,  this  day,  and  look  upon  us  as  we  stand  in  reverent 
discharge  of  what  we  feel  sacred,  American,  patriotic  duty, 
what  would  he  see,  and  what,  think  you,  would  he  say  ? 

Let  us,  for  the  moment,  invoke  this  shade  and  spirit  of  the 
soldier  of  the  Revolution.  Let  him  come  forth  from  the  soil 
sacred  by  sufferings  and  the  bloodshed  of  his  comrades,  hal 
lowed  by  patriotism  and  sterling  worth. 

Lo !  he  comes,  ascends  to  the  hills  and  redoubts  where  burned 
his  camp  fires  and  the  beacons  on  the  Hudson;  where  patriot 
fires,  lit  by  Washington's  orders,  made  American  hearts  pul 
sate  with  thrilling  emotion,  their  glowing  light  telling  victories 
won  for  American  arms,  and  the  evacuation  of  our  great  City 
of  New  York. 

We  see  him  now.  What  a  spectacle!  What  a  memory! 
What  a  reverie!  What  does  he  look  like?  Is  he  well  fed? 


338  GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Look  at  his  gaunt  figure,  his  half-famished  body!  Is  he  well 
clothed?  Look  at  his  poor  bruised  and  frozen  feet  swathed 
in  tow  cloth  tied  with  strings  of  tow !  Look !  How  pitiful  to 
see  the  poor  frost-bitten  fingers,  the  clothing  of  rags  and  coffee 
bagging.  It  caused  the  huts  and  barracks  here,  that  were 
thrown  up  to  protect  him  from  the  relentless  elements.  But 
we  pause  as  we  gaze  on  this  sight.  His  countenance  beams 
with  the  glories  of  his  patriot's  duty  well  done.  It  is  beauti 
ful,  and  sheds  a  halo  that  takes  from  our  vision  the  marks  and 
emblems  of  his  suffering. 

Lo!  he  is  glorified!  Like  our  Divine  Master,  he  has  con 
quered.  He  has  long  since  overcome  human  frailties  and 
soared  above  human  necessities. 

From  the  beacon  heights,  as  he  looks  down,  he  finds  all 
nature  stands  in  its  outline,  much  as  it  did  four  centuries  ago, 
when  Columbus  stood  knocking  at  the  convent  door  for  food 
and  shelter,  arguing,  imploring  for  three  poor  vessels  with 
which  to  sail  from  the  port  of  Palos  to  find  that  New  World 
St.  Brendin's  tales  had  told  of  and  taught  him  he  would  find. 
He  finds  all  nature  just  as  they  did  a  century  and  more  ago, 
when,  with  the  chain  across  the  Hudson,  and  the  troops  posted 
on  both  its  banks,  as  L'Enfant  pictured  them  in  1780,  our  army 
stood  like  Vikings  to  guard  the  coveted  pass  through  the  High 
lands. 

He  sees  there  no  camps,  the  forts  on  Constitution  Island  and 
Fort  Putnam  in  ruins,  Fort  Webb  surmounted  by  an  observa 
tory,  and  Fort  Clinton  gone. 

But  there  are  beautiful  barracks  and  edifices ;  a  towering 
granite  shaft,  with  its  golden  figure  of  Fame,  glistens  in  the 
sun,  and  tells,  as  a  battle  manument,  of  heroes  slain  in  the  war 
to  preserve  and  defend  what  he  fought  for  and  created — the 
war  that  our  veteran  comrades  here  before  me  fought  in.  We 
know  nothing,  by  comparison,  of  what  the  Revolutionary  pa- 
troits  suffered. 

Dimly  he  descries  the  north  and  south  redoubts  at  Garrisons. 
The  Robinson  house,  the  home  of  the  traitor  Arnold,  and  from 
whence  he,. fled,  has  gone;  yet  its  site  is  preserved,  marked  by 
the  foundation  walls.  The  path  by  which  Arnold  fled  down 
to  the  Hudson  to  join  the  British  ''Vulture"  is  still  there,  and 
the  memory  and  dishonor  of  his  treason  yet  fill  every  heart. 

There  are  houses  with  the  portraits  of  the  woman  Washing 
ton  was  said  to  love,  and  whom  he  scorned  when  seeking 
Andre's  pardon.  Others  with  Washington's  portrait  as  the 
young  colonel,  when  he  visited  Beverley  House.  All  these 


339 

homes,  and  other,  are  filled  with  hearts  now  beating  and  pul 
sating  with  patriotic  blood,  and  have  been  homes  of  statesmen, 
cabinet  ministers,  ambassadors  and  representative  men. 

The  swift-flying  railway  trains  and  steamers  are  new  and  un 
known  to  him. 

He  looks  along  the  road  hither,  and  finds  the  Huestis  house, 
where  Washington  met  Luzerne,  the  French  Minister,  and, 
turning  back  to  Fishkill,  without  knowledge  of  the  treason, 
gave  Arnold  time  to  escape  his  just  fate.  He  sees  the  redoubts 
still  guarding  the  gorge  on  the  road  near  the  old  Haight  house, 
the  dividing  line  between  Dutchess  and  Putnam  Counties. 
Huts  and  barracks  are  gone. 

He  sees  here  his  old  camp  ground  and  the  Wharton  house, 
where  headquarters  were,  where  often  Washington  came,  and 
where  Enoch  Crosby  was  brought  for  his  mock  trial. 

Yonder  he  sees  the  old  Dutch  Church,  not  now  a  prison,  but 
well  preserved,  devoted  to  its  original  uses,  like  the  Episcopal 
Church,  its  neighbor,  which  was  once  a  hospital,  and  where  the 
Provincial  Congress  of  the  State  assembled.  The  piles  of  dead 
comrades  that  filled  the  streets  there  are  only  a  memory. 

He  sees  the  Matthew  Brinckerhoff  house,  east  of  the  village, 
where  the  gallant  Lafayette  was  so  long  ill  and  suffering.  He 
looks  along  the  road  to  Glenham  for  the  shop  of  Bailey,  where 
patriotism  forged  the  sword  of  victory  for  Washington.  The 
house  has  gone,  but  the  sword  is  treasured  by  the  country.* 
Yet  beyond,  he  sees  the  Verplanck  house,  where  the  Society  of 
the  Cincinnati  was  formed.  He  sees  the  old  stone  house  on  the 
south  side  of  the  road,  the  Scofield  house,  where  Baron  Steuben, 
whom  all  the  soldiers  knew,  had  his  headquarters.  He  sees  the 
old  Osborn  house  on  the  hill,  beyond  which  was  the  outpost  of 
the  encampment.  He  sees  the  old  Ackley  house,  where  the 
Committee  of  Safety  met. 

His  head  droops.  He  seems  to  think.  He  sees  again  a 
moving  column.  His  eyes  are  aglow.  He  straightens  up  his 
manly  but  gaunt  figure  with  pride.  'Tis  the  Hessians  and 
others  of  the  army  of  Burgoyne,  captured  at  Saratoga  by  Gates, 
who  were  paroled  to  go  to  Boston  and  be  shipped  to  England ; 
but  Congress  has  set  this  aside,  and  they  are  being  marched 
back  from  Hartford,  through  Fishkill,  and  across  the  ferry  to 
Newburg,  to  be  sent  south. 

He  starts  at  sight  of  us  here  on  his  old  camp  ground.  His 
strong  and  manly  face  is  stirred  with  the  memories  of  the 
scenes  of  his  time.  There  is  determined  power  in  his  features, 

*This  sword  is  now  in  the  National  Museum  at  Washington. 


340  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

every  one  of  which  seem  charged  with  the  memories  of  a  keen 
and  varied  life  passed  with  the  army  of  which  he  was  a  part. 

As  the  declining  sun  throws  its  long  shadows  across  the 
meadows,  his  quick  ear  catches  the  sound  of  the  evening  gun 
from  Washington's  Headquarters,  at  Newburg,  midst  the 
homes  of  the  gallant  "Orange  Blossoms" ;  and  from  further 
down  the  river,  at  West  Point,  the  harmonious  strains  of  the 
music  of  parade,  the  beat  of  drum  and  sound  of  trumpet  are 
echoed  by  Cro'  Nest  and  the  old  gray  hills  as  they  re-echoed  the 
martial  music  of  Washington's  army. 

Soldiers  march  forth,  bearing  the  flag  he  fought  for.  Its 
stars  are  increased,  indicative  of  growth  and  strength  of  al 
most  imperial  States.  It  is  not  the  old  Continental  uniform  of 
blue  and  buff  he  sees,  but  he  finds  splendid  soldiers  in  training 
to  lead  the  hosts  who  will  ever  defend  and  fight  for  that  flag 
and  uphold  the  Union  his  comrades  in  arms  established  and 
achieved.  They  honor  and  salute  the  flag,  and  again  the  even 
ing  gun  of  West  Point  causes  the  national  standard  to  be  furled 
and  guarded  for  the  night,  while  all  heads  are  uncovered,  and 
with  the  strains  to  its  glory  all  thus  honor  the  flag. 

He  sees  we  have  not  forgotten  the  lays  that  cheered  his  com 
rades'  hearts  in  those  dreary  days  of  privation  and  suffering  of 
a  hundred  or  more  years  ago. 

What  are  his  feelings  as  all  these  scenes  pass  before  his 
memory  and  his  vision  and  he  looks  down  upon  us  here  to-day  ? 
He  sees  in  those  beaming  faces  everywhere  visible  our  tributes 
of  gratitude,  and  that  this  spot  is  sacred  because  of  the  valorous 
dead,  who  achieved  so  much,  who  achieved  everything  for  us. 
He  recalls  the  invocation  and  prayer  of  the  pastor  of  the  old 
Prison  Church,  that  the  spirit  of  our  forefathers  be  with  us 
and  upon  us,  and  he  sees  your  Dr.  Huizingah's  eloquent  prayer 
is  answered. 

As  we  unveil  the  memorial  he  reads  there,  beneath  the  arc  of 
the  thirteen  stars,  carved  in  granite,  commemorative  of  the 
thirteen  original  States,  these  graceful  words  of  patriotism  and 
gratitude,  penned  by  the  estimable  lady,  Mrs.  Verplanck,  Re 
gent  of  the  Melzingah  Chapter,  so  prominent  and  efficient  in 
the  work  and  the  effort  that  has  caused  this  assemblage  and 
this  ceremony.  Remember  these  words.  They  tell  him,  and 
they  tell  you  and  all,  the  story  of  the  days  and  events  we  com 
memorate.  Listen  to  them: 

"In  grateful  remembrance  of  the  brave  men  who  gave  their 
lives  for  their  country  during  the  American  Revolution,  and 
whose  remains  repose  in  the  adjoining  field,  this  stone  is  erected 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  341 

by  Melzingah  Chapter,  Daughters  American  Revolution,  Octo 
ber  14,  1897." 

Our  shade  has  vanished.  He  has  recognized  the  spirit  and 
the  work  here.  Heaven  bless  Melzingah  Chapter  of  the  Daugh 
ters  of  the  American  Revolution.  Blessings  upon  every  Chap 
ter  or  Association  of  devoted  and  patriotic  women  who  insti 
tute  or  aid  such  work.  May  their  example  spread  over  the 
land  until  no  spot  or  incident  of  that  grand  struggle  remains 
without  some  mark  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  its  good  and 
its  glory  for  mankind. 

Let  us  join  together  and  erect  a  monument  to  the  Continental 
soldier  as  he  was  in  the  days  we  commemorate,  and  place  it  on 
the  bank  of  the  Hudson.  Let  us  mark  the  noble  Lafayette's 
home  in  his  hours  of  sickness  and  suffering  for  us. 

May  the  study  of  those  historic  days  be  constant  and  pervad 
ing,  and  the  solutions  of  the  problems  of  our  own  day  and  gen 
eration  be  facilitated,  the  national  necessities  better  appreciated, 
the  people  become  better  qualified  as  Americans,  and  learn  how, 
in  the  language  of  the  Preamble  to  the  United  States  Consti 
tution,  "to  establish  justice,  insure  domestic  tranquillity,  pro 
vide  for  the  common  defense,  promote  the  general  welfare, 
and  secure  the  blessings  of  liberty  to  ourselves  and  our 
posterity." 

ADDRESS  AT  CORNELL  UNIVERSITY— FOUNDER'S 
DAY,  JANUARY  u,  1898. 

A  large  number  of  Cornellians  and  townspeople  assembled 
in  the  Armory  on  Tuesday  to  hear  Gen.  Daniel  Butterfield, 
famous  soldier,  successful  business  man  and  erstwhile  friend 
of  Ezra  Cornell,  deliver  an  address  on  the  founder  of  the 
University. 

At  10  o'clock  promptly  the  programme  was  begun  by  the 
Cadet  Band,  which  rendered  some  musical  selections  in  an  un 
usually  happy  style.  President  Schurman  introduced  the 
speaker,  remarking  in  graceful  terms  upon  his  worth  and  posi 
tion,  and  alluding  to  the  friendship  which  had  existed  between 
the  General  and  the  father  of  Cornell. 

The  temporary  stage  which  had  been  erected  in  front  of  the 
gymnasium  entrance  was  almost  unadorned,  and  unoccupied 
save  for  the  president  and  the  veteran  warrior.  The  effect  was 
one  of  impressive  and  dignified  simplicity.  General  Butterfield 
spoke  about  an  hour.  The  full  text  of  his  address  follows : 

Fifty  years  and  more  ago  must  seem  to  some  of  you  a  very, 


342  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

very  long  time.  It  does  to  me,  but  there  are  some  vivid  per 
sonal  recollections  of  it  not  out  of  place  here  to-day.  We  all 
pass,  but  we,  who  are  in  the  white  winter  of  our  age,  take 
special  delight  in  leaving  with  our  youthful  successors  the  story 
of  those  experiences  which  have  deeply  stirred  our  feelings  and 
influenced  our  lives. 

Between  myself  and  the  man,  Ezra  Cornell,  who  built  houses 
with  his  own  hands,  and  plodded  on  foot  selling  plows,  and 
yet  was  able  out  of  his  prolific  brain  to  project,  and  out  of 
his  surplus  wealth  to  endow,  and  out  of  his  patient  industry  and 
sublime  courage  to  foster  and  defend  this  great  and  growing 
institution,  there  was  one  point  of  contact  in  my  youth,  and  a 
strong  bond  of  ancestral  association,  that  I  cherish  with  delight 
and  that  I  am  moved  to  impart  to  you  on  this  glad  anniversary. 
A  boy,  coming  home  at  vacation  from  the  first  sophomore  term 
in  the  year,  I  was  asked  by  my  father  what  I  was  learning  in 
Union  College,  answering  by  a  general  description  of  the  course 
of  studies  pursued;  an  inquiry  was  then  made  respecting  the 
experiments  in  chemistry  and  the  natural  sciences,  and  what,  if 
anything,  had  been  learned  of  the  magnetic  telegraph.  These 
latter  questions  were  asked  by  a  friend  of  my  father's  present, 
a  stranger  to  me,  who  had  been  very  much  interested  as  an 
eager  listener,  in  the  examination  of  my  father  as  to  the  prog 
ress  made  in  the  studies,  etc.  The  person  who  asked  this  ques 
tion  was  a  tall,  straight  man,  then  about  thirty-nine  years  of 
age.  He  had  an  attractive  and  impressive  face,  as  he  gazed 
intently  and  inquiringly  into  mine  with  his  clear  blue  eyes,  that 
seemed  of  themselves,  without  words,  to  ask  pleasantly  but 
strongly,  "Now  tell  us  all  about  it" ;  an  aquiline  nose,  a  hand 
some  and  strong  feature  of  his  face,  with  a  formation  of  the 
lower  jaw  and  lips,  in  the  closing  of  the  mouth,  that  a  life's 
experience  has  since  taught  me  were  indications  of  force  of 
will,  determination  and  strength  of  character — which  I  was  too 
young  then  to  comprehend,  but  which  was  photographed  on  my 
mind  so  clearly,  that  were  I  skilled  as  an  artist  or  painter  I 
could  to-day  reproduce  it.  He  sat  opposite  me,  with  his  el 
bows  on  the  table  and  his  chin  between  and  suported  by  his 
hands.  Had  not  the  very  kindly  expression  of  his  face  been 
so  assuring  in  its  interest  and  sympathy  it  would  have  been 
embarrassing.  As  it  was  it  encouraged  me. 

I  gave  a  description  of  the  Morse  telegraph  instrument  of 
the  first  construction,  with  its  soft,  iron  horse-shoe  magnet 
wound  with  wire  to  surround  it  with  the  current  from  the  bat 
tery — its  lever  and  pointed  steel  nipple,  or  pen,  at  one  end, 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  343 

the  action  of  the  current  from  the  battery,  as  the  key  was 
closed,  causing  the  bar  of  metal  to  be  drawn  upon  the  magnet 
and  the  pen  end  to  be  moved  up  against  a  ribbon  or  strip  of 
paper  between  rollers  moved  by  clock-work,  making  a  mark  on 
the  paper  as  long  as  the  current  was  kept  perfect,  and  releasing 
the  bar  of  metal  when  the  current  was  broken,  stopping  the 
pen-mark,  so  that  marks  of  any  desired  length  or  simple  dots 
were  made  upon  the  strip  of  paper,  which  marks  or  dots  made 
the  alphabet  identical  with  that  in  use  to-day  by  telegraphic 
operators — only  now  read  by  sound  without  the  paper  strip  and 
without  the  pen.  The  battery  then  in  use  was  described.  It 
was  the  Grove  battery,  which  was  very  different  and  more  ex 
pensive  than  anything  now  in  use.  This  stranger  to  me  asked 
if  it  was  simple  and  easy  to  operate,  and  who  could  operate  it. 
My  reply  was,  "Any  young  man  of  fair  intelligence,  not  neces 
sarily  a  college-bred  man,  or  any  young  woman  who  could 
play  the  piano  or  keep  good  time." 

A  few  other  questions  of  detail,  that  have  escaped  my  mem 
ory  now,  were  satisfactorily  answered  during  this  interview. 
My  last  answer  about  the  young  woman  was  the  termination 
of  the  investigation,  so  far  as  I  was  concerned,  of  the  value  or 
benefit  of  my  college  work  and  study.  At  its  close  and  with 
the  answer,  this  stranger  brought  his  fists  down  on  the  table  to 
gether,  not  with  great  force  but  with  emphasis,  and  said  to  my 
father,  "The  boy  has  got  it ;  college  is  doing  him  good."  My 
father  introduced  me  then  to  this  stranger,  with  the  remark, 
"My  son,  this  is  Mr.  Cornell,  and  we  are  going  to  build  a  tele 
graph  line  from  New  York  to  Buffalo." 

I  have  never  forgotten  this  interview,  and  carry  with  me  now 
the  clearest  recollection  of  the  face  and  person  of  Ezra  Cornell, 
as  I  wish  every  one  of  you  young  gentlemen  could. 

I  have  never  yet  determined  whether  the  purpose  of  this  in 
terview  was  to  ascertain  if  there  was  any  use  in  sending  a  boy 
to  college  as  young  as  I  was,  or  whether  it  was  a  keen  and  far- 
seeing  move  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Cornell  to  convince  my  father 
that  the  working  and  understanding  of  telegraphy  would  be  a 
very  simple  and  inexpensive  matter,  and  so  to  get  him  strongly 
interested  in  building  telegraph  lines,  as  he  did  so  become 
interested. 

The  thought  has  occurred  to  me  since  this  great  University 
inception,  that  perhaps  that  interview  might  have  been  one  of 
the  suggestions  that  helped  to  nourish,  if  not  to  plant,  some 
seed  the  fruition  of  which  was  the  great  life  work  of  your 
founder.  And  if  in  any  degree  I  thus  served  unconsciously  as 


344  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

a  slight  factor  in  the  development  of  the  superb  scheme,  I 
desire  here  and  now  to  claim  the  credit  in  the  name  and  for 
the  sake  of  my  own  venerable  Alma  Mater  and  its  sagacious 
president,  Eliphalet  Nott. 

From  this  interview  and  the  business  connection  that  grew 
up  between  Ezra  Cornell  and  my  father,  I  not  only  became 
well  acquainted  with  Ezra  Cornell  at  that  time,  but  also  with 
his  son,  who  became  Governor  of  New  York,  and  who  now  is 
a  trustee  of  this  University,  and  by  whose  side  I  stood  and 
learned,  with  Orin  S.  Wood  and  Otis  E.  Wood,  to  operate  the 
telegraph  and  to  cement  a  friendship  which  has  continued  un 
broken,  strong  and  delightful  in  all  its  phases  for  over  half  a 
century.  I  believe  that  friendship  has  inspired  President 
Schurman  to  invite  me  to  address  you  on  this  Founder's  Day. 
The  only  drawback  to  the  pleasure  is  that  I  cannot  probably  tell 
you  much  of  the  founder  that  has  escaped  the  pen  of  his  filial 
biographer,  and  the  graceful  tributes  of  those  eloquent  orators 
who  have  preceded  me,  on  like  anniversaries,  in  laying  laurels, 
grateful  recollection  and  high  appreciation  upon  the  records 
for  the  honor  of  Ezra  Cornell. 

Such  tributes  cannot  be  too  often  repeated  if  they  bring  home 
to  you  who  are  enjoying  the  benefits  of  his  foresight,  his  gen 
erosity,  his  firmness  and  perseverance,  the  example  and  work 
of  his  life  and  the  nobleness  of  his  character  and  nature,  as  a 
model  to  profit  by  in  your  own  careers. 

Perhaps  you  are  a  student  or  a  close  observer  of  nature;  if 
you  are,  fortunately  for  you  it  will  be  found  an  unfailing  and 
unceasing  source  of  pleasure  and  interest  as  long  as  you  live. 
You  may  have  seen  in  a  field  of  grain  one  spear  that  has  grown 
up  among  its  fellows  and  exceeded  them  in  height  and  bearing 
to  a  marked  degree. 

In  a  forest  of  elms,  or  other  kind  of  trees,  if  you  have  studied 
and  watched  carefully  from  an  elevated  position  you  will  at 
times  find  one  tree  growing  up  above  its  fellows  and  growing 
larger.  In  a  corn  field  this  superiority  of  growth  and  bearing 
sometimes  shows  itself,  and  that  particular  corn  stalk  is  selected 
as  a  specimen.  There  is  seldom,  if  ever,  any  reason  found  in 
the  culture  of  these  different  species  that  explains  why  nature 
has  produced  such  results,  unless  these  plants  think  and  reason, 
and  by  that  process,  manage  to  attract  to  themselves,  from  the 
air  and  the  earth,  more  of  the  elements  that  produce  growth 
and  greatness.  So  with  man. 

As  we  gather  here  to-day  to  add  our  praises  to  the  heartfelt 
eulogies  that  have  been  made  before,  we  cannot  but  feel,  after 


GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  345 

the  close  study  of  this  many-sided  man,  that  he  so  overtops 
the  average  mental  and  moral  stature  that  it  is  three  men,  in 
stead  of  one,  to  whom  we  really  owe  our  grateful  praise. 

First. — The  man  of  justice,  purity  and  integrity. 

Second. — The  thoughtful  man  of  affairs,  keen,  far-sighted, 
always  working  with  a  purpose. 

Third. — The  man  of  strong  human  sympathies  as  a  tender, 
loving  husband  and  father,  a  philanthropist  of  the  purest  ideals. 

These  are  so  intimately  blended  in  the  character  and  life  of 
the  man  that  they  will  necessarily  run  together  in  what  we 
have  subsequently  to  say  about  him. 

Probably  the  greatest  characteristic  of  Mr.  Cornell  was  the 
firmness  of  his  judgment  in  support  of  an  opinion  which  he  had 
reached  after  mature  consideration.  The  courage  and  sturdi- 
ness  with  which  he  was  accustomed  to  support  his  own  mental 
conviction  was  indeed  remarkable.  When  once  he  had  thor 
oughly  considered  a  subject  or  a  proposition  and  arrived  at  a 
conclusion  that  a  certain  object  could  be  accomplished,  and  that 
it  was  worthy  of  the  requisite  effort,  he  was  wholly  oblivious 
to  discouragement.  Obstacles  only  served  to  arouse  his  ener 
gies,  and  the  more  serious  the  difficulties  encountered,  the 
greater  was  his  determination  to  succeed. 

The  firmness  of  character  and  fertility  of  resource  was  par 
ticularly  demonstrated  in  his  devotion  to  the  telegraph  enter 
prise.  When  Professor  Morse  had  proved  the  scientific  suc 
cess  of  the  telegraph,  but  the  government  officials  had  decided 
that  it  could  not  be  made  a  commercial  success,  Mr.  Cornell 
boldly  ventured  his  all  upon  his  own  opinion  to  the  contrary, 
and  went  courageously  to  work  for  its  accomplishment. 

For  more  than  ten  years  Mr.  Cornell  devoted  himself  with 
heroic  courage  to  the  development  of  the  telegraph  system  in 
America.  With  sublime  patience  and  untiring  energy  he  over 
came  obstacles,  which  oft  times  appeared  absolutely  impossible 
to  surmount,  but  true  to  the  courage  of  his  convictions  he  was 
finally  enabled  to  triumph  over  every  difficulty,  and  at  the  age  of 
fifty  he  retired  from  the  conflicts  of  active  business  as  a 
millionaire. 

Many  men  would,  after  such  a  struggle  and  success,  have 
been  disposed  to  treat  themselves  to  a  holiday  of  luxury,  but 
not  so  with  this  earnest-minded  Quaker.  Instead  of  seeking 
a  life  of  ease  and  enjoyment  he  began  to  look  about  to  see  where 
and  how  he  could  make  himself  and  his  fortune  useful  to  his 
fellow  man.  His  abilities  were  quickly  sought  in  the  public 
service  of  his  native  State,  during  the  gloomy  days  of  the  great 


346  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

Civil  War,  to  which  he  devoted  himself  with  characteristic 
earnestness. 

While  engaged  in  duties  pertaining  to  his  official  position, 
Mr.  Cornell's  attention  was  incidentally  attracted  to  the  neces 
sity  for  more  adequate  provision  for  the  development  of  the 
cause  of  higher  education  in  this  State,  and  to  the  opportunity 
of  its  accomplishment  by  a  proper  utilization  of  the  United 
States  Land  Grant,  which  had  been  made  by  Congress,  in  1862. 
Realizing  that  the  princely  offering  of  the  Federal  Government 
was  in  serious  danger  of  being  frittered  away  quite  unworthily 
he  stepped  resolutely  forward  and  tendered  to  the  State  a  per 
sonal  donation  of  $500,000  for  the  endowment  of  a  great  Uni 
versity,  conditioned  upon  the  appropriation  to  it  of  the  proceeds 
of  the  Land  Grant,  which  was  ratified  by  the  State,  but  only 
after  a  long  and  bitter  struggle  and  after  the  imposition  of  a 
unique  and  oppressive  tax  of  $25,000  as  a  royalty  for  the  priv 
ilege  of  being  permitted  to  be  generous.  The  State  was  not 
perfectly  fair  and  wise,  for  the  grant  though  good  for  Mr. 
Cornell  and  good  for  the  village  of  which  he  was  a  distin 
guished  citizen,  was  good,  most  of  all,  for  the  future  prosperity 
of  the  youth  of  the  whole  imperial  State  of  which  Mr.  Cornell 
was  an  honored  pillar,  and  Ithaca  a  brilliant  gem,  with  the 
placid  lake  set  in  the  landscape  to  be  a  crystal  surrounded  by 
emeralds. 

Owing  to  the  provision  of  the  Federal  law  prohibiting  any 
State  from  locating  its  land  warrants  within  the  boundaries  of 
any  other  State,  it  became  necessary  for  States  having  no  public 
lands  within  their  domain  to  sell  their  land  scrip  in  the  open 
market.  For  many  years  previous  the  market  price  of  public 
land  warrants  had  been  very  steady  at  the  normal  government 
rate  of  $1.25  per  acre.  At  this  rate  the  990,000  acres  would 
have  produced  an  endowment  fund  of  about  one  million  and  a 
quarter  of  dollars.  Unfortunately,  however,  the  requirement 
of  sale  on  behalf  of  most  of  the  larger  States  quickly  ran  the 
current  value  of  the  scrip  down  to  about  thirty  cents  per  acre, 
with  the  probability  of  still  lower  rates. 

Deploring  the  shameful  sacrifice  which  seemed  impending, 
Mr.  Cornell  conceived  the  idea  of  having  the  New  York  war 
rants  purchased  and  located  by  individuals  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Cornell  University,  to  which  their  avails  had  already  been 
appropriated  by  the  legislature.  In  this  view  he  earnestly 
sought  the  co-operation  of  many  rich  men.  He  made  personal 
appeals  to  nearly  one  hundred  different  persons  to  unite  with 
him  to  accomplish  this  beneficent  object,  but  he  was  unable  to 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  347 

enlist  a  single  individual.  Finally,  as  the  last  resort,  he  de 
termined  to  undertake  the  great  task  unaided.  He  made  a 
contract  with  the  State  Land  Board  for  the  purchase  of  the 
scrip,  and  agreed  to  locate  the  land,  pay  the  taxes  and  all  other 
expenses,  and  to  pay  over  to  Cornell  University  every  dollar  of 
the  profits  as  an  endowment  fund. 

Nobody,  unfamiliar  with  the  details  and  anoyances  incident 
to  the  location  and  care  of  public  lands,  can  begin  to  appreciate 
the  magnitude  of  the  undertaking  thus  assumed  by  the  gen 
erous-hearted  founder  in  behalf  of  the  great  cause  he  loved  so 
well.  During  the  first  year  he  advanced  more  than  two  hun 
dred  thousand  dollars  for  the  purchase  of  the  scrip  and  the  ex 
pense  of  location.  Before  a  single  dollar  of  profits  was  realized 
he  had  advanced  more  than  five  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
Eight  years  of  incessant  labor  was  devoted  by  him  to  this  great 
work,  and,  sorrowful  to  relate,  he  was  called  to  a  higher  life 
before  its  burdens  were  relaxed.  Finally,  however,  his  great 
foresight  was  most  gloriously  vindicated,  and  Cornell  Univer 
sity  has  already  realized,  as  the  profits  of  that  contract,  five  or 
six  million  of  dollars,  which  is  now  safely  invested  in  this  en 
dowment  fund,  while  there  still  remains  undisposed  of  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres  of  the  original  land  from 
which  another  million  of  dollars  may  be  reasonably  expected. 

In  connection  with  his  foresight  and  explanatory  of  his  choice 
of  Ithaca  as  a  home,  and  illustrative  of  the  truth  that  many 
forces  co-operate  to  any  great  success,  let  me  call  your  atten 
tion  to  a  preliminary  historical  fact. 

Upon  assuming  the  command  of  the  Revolutionary  Army, 
Washington  found  himself  in  a  strange  country  and  in  most 
urgent  need  of  officers  upon  whom  he  could  rely,  who  were 
familiar  with  the  topographical  details  of  the  region  about  New 
York  and  the  Hudson  River  Valley.  Making  his  necessity 
known  to  the  patriotic  general,  George  Clinton,  his  attention 
was  directed  to  Simeon  DeWitt,  a  youth  who  had  recently 
graduated  as  a  civil  engineer  at  one  of  the  New  Jersey  col 
leges.  The  introduction  was  successful,  and  the  young  man 
was  assigned  to  duty  upon  the  staff  of  the  commander-in-chief, 
where  he  served  with  complete  satisfaction  until  the  close  of  the 
great  struggle  for  independence. 

Afterward,  General  DeWitt  was  appointed  State  Engineer 
and  Surveyor  by  Governor  George  Clinton,  and  in  that  position 
served  the  State  more  than  fifty  years.  Under  his  supervision, 
counties  west  of  the  Hudson  River  Valley  were  surveyed,  and 
to  him  our  people  are  indebted  for  the  many  classic  names  of 


348 

towns  and  counties  in  this  beautiful  region,  which,  judged  by 
the  testimony  of  such  names  as  Ovid,  Utica,  Syracuse,  Homer, 
Palmyra,  might  seem  to  have  been  founded  by  Greeks  and 
Romans  themselves,  rather  than  by  sturdy,  practical  Americans. 

Upon  visiting  the  head  of  Cayuga  Lake,  in  1805,  General 
Dewitt  was  greatly  impressed  with  its  future  importance  as 
the  nearest  point  of  connection  between  the  waters  of  the  Great 
Lakes  and  the  Susquehanna  River.  He  thereupon  located  at 
this  place  the  land  warrants  which  had  been  awarded  him  for 
revolutionary  services,  and  determined  to  make  it  his  ultimate 
home.  By  his  influence  a  post-office  was  soon  opened  here  and 
named  Ithaca. 

Under  date  of  May  10,  1810,  General  DeWitt  wrote  a  friend 
at  Albany,  as  follows:  "I  find  this  village  (Ithaca)  consider 
ably  increased  since  I  was  here  before.  I  have  counted  thirty- 
•eight  dwelling  houses,  among  which  is  one  very  large,  elegant, 
three-story  house  for  a  hotel,  and  five  of  two  stories ;  the  rest 
of  one  story — all  generally  neat  frame  buildings.  Besides, 
there  is  a  schoolhouse,  and  buildings  for  merchant  stores,  shops 
for  carpenters,  cabinet-makers,  blacksmiths,  coopers,  tanners, 
and  we  have  besides  shoemakers,  tailors,  two  lawyers,  one  doc 
tor,  watch  cleaner,  turner,  miller,  hatter,  etc." 

Subsequently  General  DeWitt  projected  a  ship  canal  from 
Sodus  Bay,  on  Lake  Ontario,  to  Cayuga  Lake,  in  order  to  con 
nect  Ithaca  with  the  Great  Lakes.  He  then  built  the  Cayuga 
and  Susquehanna  Railroad,  from  Ithaca  to  Owego,  by  means 
of  which  it  was  anticipated  that  Ithaca  would  become  a  great 
inland  city  at  the  gateway  of  an  important  channel  of  commerce 
between  the  northern  lakes  and  the  Susquehanna  River  and 
thence  to  Baltimore.  What  think  you  would  DeWitt  say,  could 
he  stand  here  to-day  looking  out  on  the  same  landscape  of 
beauty,  and  find  added  the  University,  with  its  seventeen  build 
ings  on  the  campus,  two  thousand  students,  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  professors  and  instructors,  its  library  of  two  hun 
dred  thousand  volumes,  with  the  flourishing,  fine  city  of  Ithaca, 
if  not  the  great  thoroughfare  of  commerce  he  thought  and 
planned,  far  ahead  of  that  in  importance  and  benefit  to  the  hu 
man  race,  a  gateway  and  threshhold  by  passage  through  the 
University  to  the  realms  of  education  and  cultured  thought. 

It  was  under  the  stimulus  of  these  brilliant  expectations  of 
the  youthful  Ithaca  that  the  young  Quaker,  Ezra  Cornell  was, 
in  1828,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  attracted  from  the  quiet  of 
his  father's  farm,  in  Madison  County,  to  cast  his  future  fortunes 
in  this  locality.  It  was  a  lucky  day  for  Ithaca;  for  its  com- 


GENERAL   DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD  349 

mercial  advantage,  for  its  culture,  to  have  this  wealth  of  art, 
science  and  literature  piled  up  at  its  doors — this  mass  of  living, 
germinating  thought  fermenting  in  its  midst,  and  nourishing 
industry,  agriculture,  statesmanship,  for  the  young  republic; 
for  its  beauty,  to  have  the  grace  of  noble  architecture  added  as 
a  crown  of  glory  to  those  towering  cliffs ;  for  its  civic  pride  to 
be  named  Oxford,  Cambride,  Bonn,  Berlin,  as  one  of  the  great 
est  educational  forces  of  the  world,  and  to  become  one  of  the 
great  magnetic  poles  to  draw  the  intellectual  pilgrim,  and  to 
subtly  and  powerfully  influence  all  the  currents  of  scholarship. 

No  one,  truly  mindful  of  the  part  he  played,  should  grudge 
to  Ezra  Cornell  or  his  eminent  descendants,  the  honor  of  the 
name  borne  by  this  institution.  Village  and  State  and  Nation 
should  be  proud  to  emblazon  it  as  a  type  of  manhood  and  noble 
citizenship,  a  very  searmark  of  lofty  example.  Humanity  at 
large  is  honored  by  such  a  character,  and  men  simply  prove  their 
own  worth  by  the  heartiest  recognition.  Had  he  sought  the 
distinction  for  himself — to  be  written  down  to  coming  ages  as 
"one  who  loved  his  fellow  man" — it  would  have  been  a  natural, 
a  pardonable,  nay,  even  a  laudable  ambition.  That  he  did  not, 
according  to  the  testimony  of  Ambassador  White,  but  was 
willing  to  obscure  his  own  part  in  the  enterprise  with  thoughts 
solely  for  the  welfare  of  others  and  with  no  concern  for  his  own 
fame,  places  him  among  the  rarest  spirits  of  the  human  race, 
and  makes  it  the  more  incumbent  upon  us,  not  to  permit  the 
memory  of  such  a  character  to  perish. 

It  ought  to  stand  as  a  perpetual  provocative  to  inquiry  ever 
renewed,  as  the  successive  generations  of  youth  come  here  to 
enjoy  the  generous  fruitage  of  his  great  labors,  that  they  may 
be  answered  with  the  story  of  his  life  and  aroused  by  the  ex 
ample  of  his  energy,  his  resoluteness,  his  foresight,  his  un 
selfishness. 

Another  phase  of  Mr.  Cornell's  character,  quite  in  contrast 
with  the  grim  earnestness  and  endurance  by  which  he  accom 
plished  the  great  features  of  his  noble  life  work,  was  his  sim 
plicity  and  tenderness  of  feeling.  Especially  were  those  modest 
graces  exhibited  in  the  presence  of  those  upon  whom  fortune 
had  frowned.  None  were  too  humble  to  seek  his  charitable, 
presence,  and  never  did  the  worthy  unfortunate  fail  to  receive 
his  kindly  and  sympathetic  consideration.  His  personal  atten 
tion  is  providing  for  the  families  of  the  volunteer  soldiers  in  the 
days  of  the  cruel  war  was  the  subject  of  the  deepest  gratitude 
from  those  upon  whom  the  burden  of  patriotism  was  so  heavily 
laid. 


350  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Apropos  of  the  Civil  War,  and  only  pertinent  to  the  purpose 
of  to-day's  reminiscences  by  reason  of  Mr.  Cornell's  sympathy 
and  interest  and  patriotic  work  in  that  connection,  I  may  be 
permitted,  as  a  participant  in  it  and  an  old  soldier,  to  recall  to 
you  young  gentlemen  something  of  its  gigantic  proportions 
and  the  unprecedented  number  of  men  it  brought  into  the  field. 
The  number  of  Union  soldiers  enlisted  under  the  call  for  troops, 
including  re-enlistments,  were  2,572,000.  Of  these  there  were 
2,000,000  enlisted  for  three  years,  427,000  for  one  and  two 
years,  and  the  balance  for  a  shorter  period.  Put  in  another 
form,  there  were  1,765  regiments  of  infantry,  270  regiments  of 
cavalry,  more  than  900  batteries  of  artillery,  and  671  ships  of  all 
kinds,  manned  by  about  134,000  men.  Of  these,  364,116  are 
known  to  have  died  from  wounds  and  disease,  and  they  do  not 
include  those  who  perished  in  rebel  pens,  nor  those  lying  in 
unknown  graves,  conservatively  estimated  at  150,000.  The 
records  show  there  were  5,825,000  entries  at  the  hospitals  dur 
ing  the  war.  These  figures  prove  the  great  severity  of  the 
struggle,  and  the  enormous  drain  on  the  strength  of  those  en 
gaged,  and  gives  no  figures  of  the  other  side.  The  war  for 
the  preservation  of  the  Union  contains  a  record  of  patriotism, 
courage,  self-sacrifice  and  devotion  to  duty  found  nowhere  else 
in  the  annals  of  mankind.  It  is  gratifying  to  record  Ezra  Cor 
nell's  sympathetic  work  for  it  and  permissible  to  note  to-day 
these  statistics  here  in  this  armory  with  the  pleasure  of  a 
veteran  at  sight  of  the  cadets  of  Cornell's  fine  battalion  of 
infantry,  showing  that  practice  and  information  of  the  military 
art  is  part  of  the  work  of  Cornell,  and  that  you  will,  many  of 
you,  be  quite  ready  and  instructed  for  support  and  defense  of 
the  flag  and  the  country  at  a  moment's  call. 

Many  stories  of  rare  interest  are  related  of  the  kindly  atten 
tion  of  the  great  Founder  to  the  humble  and  almost  friendless 
students  who  ambitiously  sought  the  University  in  its  earlier 
years.  Men  who  have  since  achieved  renown  in  consequence 
of  their  ability  to  continue  and  succeed  in  this  great  seat  of 
learning  were  indebted  to  his  personal  consideration  for  the 
means  to  persevere  in  their  efforts.  His  sympathies  were 
boundless  and  his  counsel  and  advice  could  never  be  sought 
in  vain. 

Two  distinct  efforts  are  necessary  to  the  accomplishment 
of  such  a  work  as  Ezra  Cornell's,  and  in  fact  to  any  great  good 
for  mankind — thought  and  action.  It  is  not  always  given  to 
one  individual  to  have  the  genius  and  energy  to  make  both 
efforts.  Ezra  Cornell  had  both  in  a  marked  degree.  He  was 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD  351 

a  profound  thinker.  How  well  and  how  carefully  he  thought 
out  his  work  before  he  began  it — is  pretty  clearly  set  forth  in 
the  addresses  of  Ambassador  White,  Judge  Finch,  Colonel 
Shaw  and  others  made  here. 

Add  to  the  forethought,  the  energy,  the  perseverance  and 
the  patience  of  Ezra  Cornell — crowned  with  his  unbounded 
generosity  and  consideration  for  his  fellow  men,  and  we  unite 
elements  of  character  and  nature  that  make  the  grandest  and 
most  elevated  type  of  humanity.  May  we  not  study  out  for 
ourselves  some  of  his  unwritten  thought  and  what  he  foresaw? 
Should  not  you  who  are  trained  in  this  school  do  so,  and  by 
every  effort  of  your  life  join  in  the  work  and  purpose  of  the 
Founder? 

He  discerned  the  needs  of  the  future.  Ezra  Cornell  looked 
far  into  coming  time  in  founding  this  noble  University.  His 
large  experience  in  the  affairs  of  life  taught  him  that  the  only 
safety  for  Republican  government  was  to  be  found  in  the 
general  loyalty  and  wisdom  of  our  whole  people. 

His  was  a  large  mold  in  which  manhood  was  cast.  He 
saw  with  the  vision  of  a  prophet  what  alarming  dangers  were 
coming  into  view,  threatening  the  very  life  of  our  nation. 
And  so  he  went  in  his  great  way  about  planning  adequate 
safeguards  for  the  youth  of  our  whole  country. 

He  founded  this  University  on  lines  of  equality  to  all  creeds, 
sections  and  conditions  of  young  men  and  women.  It  is  as 
wide  as  the  world  in  its  invitation  for  aspiring  youth  to  come 
and  satisfy  themselves  with  the  wealth  of  knowledge  here 
placed  within  their  reach.  He  knew  full  well  what  hatred  and 
sectionalism  had  wrought  in  blood  and  agony,  in  the  great 
rebellion;  and  with  masterly  forethought  here  laid  the  founda 
tions  of  a  safe  educational  system,  based  upon  conditions  of 
common  interest  to  all  our  people. 

Here  we  find  no  narrow  circles  teaching  sectional  ideas;  but 
one  broad  plane  of  education  worthy  of  every  son  and  daughter 
of  our  Union. 

And  this  is  the  need  of  the  future.  He  had  faith  in  the  reign 
of  the  common  people;  and  his  heart  beat  in  full  sympathy 
with  the  idea  that  a  good  education  was  the  best  capital  with 
which  to  start  in  the  battle  of  life. 

In  founding  a  library  for  Ithaca,  and  in  founding  this  great 
University  later  on,  Ezra  Cornell  rose  from  high  to  higher 
in  his  ambition  to  make  large  provision  for  the  development 
of  a  full  rounded  manhood  and  womanhood. 

The  needs  of  our  time  call  for  many-sided  men  and  woman — 


352  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

fitted  to  resist  the  special  temptations  and  dangers  which 
beset  our  fast  age — with  the  privileges  and  aids  of  Cornell 
University,  such  representative  friends  of  true  mental  and 
moral  culture  can  be  graduated  here. 

It  was  Baron  Von  Humboldt  who  wisely  declared  that, 
"Whatsoever  we  wish  to  see  introduced  into  the  life  of  a  nation 
must  first  be  introduced  into  its  schools,"  and  this  is  a  view 
which  inspired  the  founder  to  devote  his  later  years  to  rearing 
this  monument  incidentally  to  his  memory,  but  primarily  for 
the  safety  of  the  nation.  What  a  splendid  vision  of  the  future 
filled  his  soul,  when  he  had  fully  developed  his  ideas  of  what 
this  spot  should  stand  for,  in  future  years!  The  response  of 
his  prophet-like  call,  within  a  single  generation,  has  been  won 
derful.  The  attendance  at  present,  representing  all  our  States 
and  the  leading  countries  of  the  world,  proves  how  wide  is  the 
fame  of  this  young  University — whose  life  is  yet  measured 
only  by  decades.  The  founder  filled  the  poet's  picture  and 
estimate  of  true  nobility: 

"Who'er  amidst  the  sons 
Of  reason,  valor,  liberty,  and  virtue, 
Displays  distinguished  merit,  is  a  noble 
Of  nature's  own  creating!" 

and  his  example  is  one  that  will  point  the  way  to  successive 
benefactions  from  philanthropic  Americans,  who,  seeing  the 
true  glory  of  his  deeds,  will  emulate  them  in  other  places  for 
the  benefit  of  the  youth  of  our  land.  Already  he  has  called 
forth  generous  supporters  to  enlarge  his  work  here. 

After  all,  no  monument  endures  like  the  sentiments  of  jus 
tice  and  righteousness  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men  and 
women.  Here  on  these  commanding  heights  is  the  battle 
ground  for  the  noblest  victories  youth  can  win.  Culture  here 
opens  wide  her  portals  and  bids  all  to  enter  who  have  the 
inspirations  of  a  larger  view  of  life  urging  them  forward  to 
brave  deeds  and  worthy  ambitions. 

In  view  of  the  great  life  and  services  of  the  founder  of  this 
University,  at  once  so  progressive  and  so  promising  along 
all  lines  of  high  culture  and  safe  development,  I  urge  the 
discipline  of  the  loftiest  patriotic  sentiments,  to  the  end  that 
the  youth  who  go  forth  from  these  halls  of  learning  may  be 
four  square  to  all  the  needs  and  duties  of  loyal  Americans,  and 
the  noblest  Christian  citizenship.  Ezra  Cornell  rose,  along  the 
practical  avenues  of  American  possibilities  through  the  exer 
cise  of  honest  toil,  unswerving  integrity,  heroic  endeavor,  and 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  353 

large  practical  views  of  the  glorious  heritage  of  American 
citizenship.  He  worked  his  own  way  along  the  rugged  road 
of  poverty  into  the  bright  avenue  of  well-won  wealth ;  and  then 
he  grandly  builded  of  his  own  fortune  this  splended  temple 
of  learning  as  a  monument  to  his  genius  and  philanthropy, 
and  a  blessing  to  generations  to  come.  No  grander  creation 
of  one  man  can  be  found  in  the  wide  sweep  of  the  globe  than 
the  beautiful  group  of  buildings  which  cluster  on  this  glorious 
campus,  the  fruit  of  the  founder's  inspiration  and  example 
communicated  to  and  working  in  able  supporters  and  suc 
cessors.  Nature  seems  to  have  been  in  touch  with  the  spirit 
of  the  great  founder,  for  here,  as  in  few  other  places,  there  is 
united  a  variety  of  natural  splendors  of  hill,  valley  and  lake, 
shifting  in  beauty  with  all  kaleidoscopic  changes  of  the  sea 
sons.  Here  has  risen  to  meet  the  demands,  group  after  group 
of  needed  educational  buildings,  until  a  rival  of  the  oldest 
universities  of  the  old  world  stands  forth,,  able  to  cope  with 
every  phase  of  learning  in  other  lands,  and  yet,  only  in  its 
infancy.  Here  "Peace  hath  her  victories  no  less  renowned 
than  war."  Here  the  youth  of  formerly  hostile  sections  can 
mingle  in  a  common  unity,  without  bitterness  and  in  enjoy 
ment  of  a  common  birthright.  The  Puritan  and  the  cavalier 
are  here  merged  into  the  happy  American.  Here  the  sons  of 
Union  veterans  and  the  sons  of  Confederate  veterans  can 
join  hands  in  loyalty  to  a  common  valor,  and  thank  God  both 
are  now  heirs  to  one  flag,  one  country,  and  one  free  civilization. 
This  University  seemed  to  rise  triumphant  after  sectional  dif 
ferences  had  been  settled  by  fire  and  blood,  and  a  new  oppor 
tunity  was  presented  for  American  youth  to  become  worthy 
workers  under  the  new-born  privileges  and  enlarged  bounds 
of  freedom  on  our  soil.  As  a  soldier  of  the  Union  in  the  past 
war  era,  I  plead  for  broad  views  of  our  present  new  birth  of 
freedom.  Our  battles  are  over,  and  the  issues  so  stupendous 
at  the  time  have  been  forever  settled.  Braver  men  never 
fought  or  fell  than  those  who  contented  for  ideals  dear  to  each 
section,  and  when  the  war  closed,  the  Union  became  the 
common  heritage  of  a  whole  reunited  and  great  people. 

There  are  two  factors  absolutely  necessary  to  the  thorough 
success  of  a  great  educational  institution:  One — money  in 
abundance  to  provide  what  manufacturers  and  business  men 
would  call  the  plant,  that  is,  all  the  college  buildings  and 
grounds,  the  library,  the  various  apparatus  and  instruments 
connected  with  education,  all  of  which  are  found  here  at 
Cornell.  Another — an  executive  head  or  chief  with  a  faculty 


354  GENEEAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

fitted  by  culture  and  natural  endowments  to  carry  on  the 
work.  To  realize  how  thoroughly  this  provision  was  made  by 
your  founder,  read  with  care  and  study  the  address  of  An 
drew  D.  White,  the  first  president  of  Cornell,  now  so  ably  rep 
resenting  our  country  at  the  German  court  in  Berlin.  This 
address  was  delivered  here  on  Founder's  Day,  1890.  It  gives 
a  complete  description  of  Ezra  Cornell's  work  from  the  com 
mencement  of  his  efforts  to  found  this  institution.  If  every 
student  here  has  not  read  it,  he  should  do  so,  with  those  of 
Judge  Finch  and  Albert  Shaw,  not  only  once  but  a  second 
and  a  third  time.  It  portrays  between  the  lines  the  wonderful 
judgment  of  men  possessed  by  the  founder,  and  leaves  the 
indelible  impression  that  his  effort  was  not  to  follow  in  the  rut 
of  any  existing  institution,  but  to  accomplish  the  greatest 
amount  of  possible  good  and  efficient  work  in  the  line  of 
education  for  the  benefit  of  his  fellow-men,  and  doing  it  as  he 
did  in  American  fashion  of  going  directly  at  and  reaching  out 
for  the  accomplishment  of  his  purpose. 

Let  me  illustrate  this  trait  of  American  character  of  going 
directly  and  quickly  at  the  purpose,  by  an  incident  of  the  war. 

After  we  had  carried  Lookout  Mountain,  in  the  battle  above 
the  clouds,  the  command  which  I  served  with  were  ordered  to 
proceed  across  the  Lookout  Valley  early  next  morning  and 
attack  the  enemy's  left  on  Mission  Ridge,  in  front  of  Chatta 
nooga.  Pontoon  bridges  were  ordered  to  be  at  a  crossing  of 
the  creek  in  the  valley  at  an  early  hour.  They  were  not  there 
to  meet  us ;  the  stream  was  like  a  southern  bayou  stream,  nine 
or  ten  feet  deep,  steep  vertical  banks  of  soft  earth,  no  possibility 
of  crossing,  horse  or  man,  without  a  bridge,  owing  to  the  char 
acter  of  the  banks. 

Our  movement  was  urgent,  and  exhibiting  great  impatience 
and  much  temper  at  the  failure  of  the  pontoon  train  to  arrive, 
I  was  approached  by  one  of  our  Western  volunteers  with  the 
inquiry,  "General,  do  you  want  to  get  some  men  across  that 
stream?  If  you  do  I  can  get  a  regiment  over  in  20  minutes." 
This  statement  astonished  me.  I  had  no  experience  as  woods 
man,  brought  up  in  a  city  and  with  my  education  or  that  part 
of  it  in  engineering.  I  knew  of  no  way  to  cross  such  a  stream 
without  bridges  or  boats.  "You  are  my  man,"  was  my  reply. 
"What  do  you  want  to  do  it  with?"  The  answer  was,  "Half 
a  dozen  axes  and  some  of  my  regiment  to  use  them."  These 
were  instantly  at  hand,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  the  men  had 
felled  a  tall  and  large  tree  on  the  bank  of  the  stream  so  it  fell 
across  it  and  the  top  lodged  on  the  opposite  side — a  few  cuts 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  355 

with  the  axes  cut  away  limbs  projecting  on  the  end  and  across 
the  stream,  and  a  regiment  went  flying  over  in  single  file, 
followed  by  another  before  the  bridges  came,  greatly  to  our 
advancement  in  time  and  movement.  I  have  never  since  that 
failed  to  listen  to  any  suggestion  from  any  American  how  to 
accomplish  an  immediate  and  difficult  work. 

This  American  trait  Ezra  Cornell  had  when  he  built  his 
first  wooden  house  with  no  knowledge  of  carpentry,  and  built 
the  Beebe  tunnel  with  no  knowledge  of  engineering;  had  he 
waited  to  learn  these  arts  he  may  never  have  accomplished 
either.  Don't  forget,  young  gentlemen,  his  example — drive 
direct  at  it  with  vigor  and  every  resource  you  can  think  of 
when  you  have  an  urgent  task  to  perform. 

His  success  has  brought  a  situation  which  led  one  of  the 
best  of  American  authorities  on  education  to  say  to  me  with 
much  emphasis: 

"The  American  university  has  come  to  stay."  In  the  early 
college  days  I  have  alluded  to,  we  never  heard  much  of  uni 
versities — it  was  colleges — Yale  College,  Harvard  College,, 
Columbia  College,  Princeton  College,  Union  College,  etc. — the 
word  "University"  was  neither  spoken  nor  thought  of  by  stu 
dents  in  connection  with  any  American  institution.  As  to 
England,  we  spoke  of  Cambridge  and  Oxford  as  colleges. 
Bonn  enjoyed  the  dignity  of  the  title  of  a  university;  of  those 
of  other  countries  we  heard  little  and  knew  less." 

It  must  then  have  been  an  inspiration  that  combined  with 
Ezra  Cornell's  genius  and  character  of  the  peculiarly  American 
type  when  he  announced  his  purpose  and  desire  in  the  sen 
tentious  description  that  the  seal  of  Cornell  carries : 

"I  would  found  an  institution  where  any  person  can  find 
instruction  in  any  study." 

Further  illustration  of  his  concise  method  of  thought  and 
expression,  his  character  as  a  deep  and  earnest  thinker,  as 
well  as  his  nature,  is  at  hand  and  of  record  in  his  noble  words 
Oct.  7,  1868,  when  this  University  was  founded.  It  proves 
how  thoroughly  from  the  moment  he  conceived  it.  The  idea 
of  the  University  became  entwined  with  this  very  life — it 
shows  that  this  man  of  gentle  exterior  but  iron  resolve  had 
fully  thought  out  and  determined  how  to  place  it  in  the  power 
of  any  person  to  acquire  a  thorough  education,  as  there  had 
been  nothing  half-hearted  in  his  labors — so  there  was  nothing 
half-hearted  in  his  noble  philanthropy. 

The  opinion  of  competent  foreign  critics  of  his  broad  foun 
dation  and  grand  purpose  here  may  be  thoroughly  realized 


356  GENEKAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

by  an  incident  that  occurred  between  distinguished  men  whose 
rank  and  lines  of  thought  run  in  the  direction  of  education. 
Visiting  the  Bibliotheque  Nationale  in  connection  with  some 
researches  for  records  of  the  discovery  of  America,  I  had  to 
obtain  special  permission  for  access  to  the  most  valuable 
manuscripts,  made  before  the  days  of  printing,  in  that  great 
library,  I  was  shown  into  the  jealously-guarded  and  securely- 
constructed  apartment  that  held  these  treasures.  Whom  should 
I  meet  there  but  Hon.  Melvil  Dewey,  the  secretary  of  the 
University  of  the  State  of  New  York,  a  thorough  and  efficient 
worker,  with  his  heart  and  life  bound  up  in  the  subject  of 
education.  There  was  a  mutual  surprise  in  our  meeting,  and 
it  resulted  in  a  long  conversation  afterward,  in  which  the 
subject  of  Cornell  University  came  up. 

He  told  me  of  a  recent  dinner  at  the  National  Liberal  Club 
in  London  with  several  Cambridge  and  Oxford  University 
men,  among  them  Prof.  Richard  G.  Moulton,  who  had  been 
making  a  tour  of  the  United  States.  Mr.  Dewey  happened  to 
ask  the  recent  visitor  to  otlr  country  what  most  astonished 
him  or  what  was  the  greatest  wonder  found  in  his  travels  in 
the  United  States,  and  supposed,  of  course,  that  it  would  be 
Niagara  Falls,  the  Yellowstone  Park  and  its  canons,  the  Capi 
tol  at  Washington,  New  York,  Chicago,  or  some  of  our  great 
cities  of  such  rapid  growth,  but  he  was  startled  by  the  reply, 
substantially  in  these  words: 

"When  I  walked  over  the  campus  of  Cornell  University, 
studied  its  workings,  admired  its  buildings — its  scenery  and 
surroundings — it  was  to  me  the  greatest  wonder  of  America 
to  think  it  had  grown  into  such  proportions  and  strength  for  its 
work,  in  a  single  quarter  of  a  century,  reaching  the  plane  which 
the  universities  of  the  Old  World  had  required  so  many  cen 
turies  to  gain." 

This  incident  seems  to  me  a  more  condensed  and  thorough 
appreciation  of  the  great  work  of  Ezra  Cornell  than  it  is 
possible  for  me  to  express.  And  yet  I  am  constrained  to  add 
one  word  only  of  my  own,  by  way  of  summary  and  brief 
exhortation. 

I  do  not  desire  to  indulge  in  any  hyperbolic  praise,  but  I 
think  I  am  within  the  lines  of  modest  truth  when  I  attribute 
to  Ezra  Cornell  two  rare  qualities  of  successful  manhood: 

First — The  readiness  to  undertake  enterprises  calling  for 
unusual  confidence  in  yet  untried  powers — a  self-reliance  that 
challenged  him  to  put  forth  his  utmost  skill,  and  that  was 
shown  to  be  warranted  by  the  success  of  the  event. 


GENEEAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD  357 

Second — A  keen  foresight  of  remote  advantage  which  led 
him  to  espouse  great  causes  in  the  days  when  they  were  de 
spised,  and  to  stake  his  fame  and  fortune  upon  their  final 
triumph.  Primary  examples  of  these  qualities  are  to  be  found 
in  the  building  of  the  DeRuyter  house  without  any  knowledge 
of  the  mystery  of  carpentry,  the  conception  and  construction 
of  the  Beebe  tunnel  without  any  knowledge  of  the  art  of  the 
civil  engineer,  and  the  dropping  of  the  plough  to  direct  the 
pioneer  work  that  established  the  newly  invented  toy  telegraph 
in  its  sphere  as  a  mighty  factor  in  American  civilization.  It 
may  seem  as  if  he  were  running  counter  to  that  precept  which 
enjoins  the  man  who  has  once  put  his  hands  to  the  plough  not 
to  turn  back.  But  second  and  deeper  thought  will  show  that  he 
did  not  turn  back.  He  dropped  the  handles  of  the  plough  that 
merely  turned  up  the  soil  for  the  time-honored  crop  of  vege 
tables  and  took  firm  guiding  grasp  of  one  that  cut  the  deep 
and  lasting  furrow  for  the  lightning  to  travel  in  as  a  minis 
tering  spirit,  and  that  broke  the  ground  for  that  beneficent 
agency  known  as  Cornell  University.  I  could  name  you  men 
of  my  own  generation,  renowned  for  a  brief  time  for  dazzling 
business  achievements,  whose  memories  are  fast  fading  from 
human  recollection,  and  whose  influence  is  no  longer  felt. 
Their  great  enterprises  have  failed  for  want  of  a  directing 
genius,  or  bear  the  title  of  a  stranger;  their  property  is  con 
sumed  or  scattered.  They  had  their  little  day  and  it  has 
passed  forever,  while  in  the  case  of  Ezra  Cornell  a  high  and  a 
holy  resolve  has  given  "an  empire  without  an  end."  For  as 
a  great  man  he  was  good,  and  as  a  good  man  he  is  forever 
great.  And  it  is  to  this  imperishable  quality  of  goodness  that 
preserves  greatness  and  renders  it  perennially  fruitful,  world 
without  end,  that  I  would  chiefly  direct  your  attention,  young 
gentlemen,  to-day.  Ezra  Cornell  was  a  true  humanitarian,  of 
the  class  that  deserve  to  stand  high  in  the  affairs  of  the  nation 
and  in  the  reverence  of  the  world.  He  might,  as  so  many 
have  done,  have  sought  only  a  brilliant  personal  success,  in 
volving  benefit  simply  to  himself  and  his  immediate  heirs. 
But  he  chose  instead  to  make  American  youth  his  perpetual 
beneficiaries.  It  is  desirable  that  such  ambition  as  his  should 
be  gratified  and  exalted  as  perpetuating  an  important  and  in 
spiring  lesson  as  to  the  privilege  of  wealth  and  its  high  uses. 
The  demand  for  the  reason  for  the  name  of  this  University 
is  a  constantly  recurring  opportunity  for  a  reminder  of  the 
unselfish  application  of  genius  and  wealth;  of  the  possibility 
of  such  a  voluntary  sharing  of  the  strong  with  the  weak,  as 


358  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

shall  disarm  envy  and  promote  a  true  socialism;  as  shall 
furnish  to  the  youth  an  additional  incentive  to  call  forth  his 
supreme  energies  for  the  sake  of  others,  instead  of  pausing  in 
self-content,  or  hoarding  in  abject  miserliness.  Such  a  life 
may  even  be  regarded  as  a  vindication  of  inequality,  as  part 
of  the  scheme  of  Providence  to  call  out  the  full  resources  of  a 
gifted  nature,  and  to  reward  it  with  the  joy  of  an  immortality 
of  benefaction.  Like  begets  like,  and  Ezra  Cornell's  example 
has  already  called  forth  supporters  of  the  same  high  spirit,  to 
forward  the  expansion  of  the  University. 

All  honor  to  the  Sages,  the  Sibleys,  the  McGraws,  White, 
Fayerweather,  and  other  like  noble  natures,  who  added  to 
Ezra  Cornell's  great  work  and  princely  gifts. 

The  keynote  of  the  thought  and  action  of  Ezra  Cornell, 
after  he  had  obtained  wealth  by  untiring,  persistent  industry, 
close  economy  and  far-seeing  wisdom,  was  his  desire  to  use 
that  wealth  in  providing  a  perennial  source  of  knowledge,  open 
to  and  within  reach  of  the  acceptance  of  every  person  who 
would  earnestly  seek  for  knowledge. 

Other  benefactors  of  our  English-speaking  people  have  con 
tributed  to  the  establishment  of  institutions  of  learning; 
learned,  pious,  earnest  men  have  solicited  the  aid  of  kings  and 
counsellors  to  establish  great  seats  of  learning  in  England 
and  America,  which  during  a  slow  and  sometimes  precarious 
growth  of  from  three  to  six  hundred  years,  have  sent  forth 
scholars  and  scientists  and  statesmen,  whose  actions  are  part 
of  the  histories  of  England  and  America,  and  after  all  these 
years  of  growth,  those  universities  have  only  recently  attained 
their  independence,  through  the  gifts  and  legacies  of  friends 
continued  through  all  these  years.  While  here,  within  the 
memory  of  every  adult  person  in  this  audience,  has  been 
founded,  equipped,  established  and  endowed  by  the  beneficent 
action  of  Ezra  Cornell,  the  self-taught  mechanic,  the  wise 
business  man,  an  university,  the  equal  of  any  and  superior 
of  most  of  like  institutions  in  the  world.  What  a  vast  differ 
ence  between  this  and  the  little  country  schoolhouse  in  which 
that  "poor  young  man,"  Ezra  Cornell,  graduated  after  an  ad 
ditional  winter's  schooling,  obtained  at  the  price  of  clearing 
four  acres  of  land  covered  with  a  heavy  beechwood  forest. 

Did  Ezra  Cornell  find  the  motive  of  his  action  in  the  thought 
that  the  University  he  proposed  to  establish  would  be  an 
eternal  monument  to  himself,  as  it  undoubtedly  will  be?  I 
doubt  if  such  a  thought  ever  had  the  least  influence  in  deter 
mining  his  action.  There  was  before  him,  innate  in  every 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  359 

fibre  of  his  soul,  intensified  by  his  own  struggles  and  experi 
ence,  one  great  absorbing  thought,  What  can  I  do  to  help 
the  helpers,  to  educate  the  aspiring,  to  encourage  the  strug 
gling,  ambitious  poor,  who  seek  by  the  attainment  of  knowl 
edge  to  benefit  themselves  and  others.  It  appears  as  if  he 
sank  out  of  sight  intuitively  all  selfish  feeling  or  desire,  if  any 
ever  existed,  in  the  presence  of  the  great  passion  to  benefit  the 
coming  generations  of  youth,  by  affording  them  access  to  in 
struction  in  every  branch  of  human  knowledge.  One  inti 
mately  associated  with  him  during  the  prosecution  of  this,  the 
greatest  work  of  his  life,  writes:  "I  feel  bound  to  say  that  I 
have  never  known  a  man  more  entirely  unselfish.  I  have  seen 
him  when  his  wealth  was  counted  in  millions  devote  it  so 
generously  to  university  objects  that  he  felt  it  necessary  to 
stint  himself  in  some  matters  of  personal  comfort.  When 
urged  to  sell  a  portion  of  the  university  lands  at  a  sacrifice  in 
order  to  better  our  foundation,  he  answered  in  substance,  don't 
let  us  do  that  yet,  I  will  wear  my  old  hat  and  coat  a  little 
longer,  and  let  you  have  a  little  more  money  from  my  own 
pocket.  Such  was  his  self-denial. 

"His  religion  seemed  to  take  shape  in  a  constant  desire  to 
improve  the  condition  of  his  fellow-men.  He  was  never  sur 
prised  or  troubled  by  anything  which  any  other  human  being 
believed  or  did  not  believe.  Of  intolerance  he  was  utterly  in 
capable.  A  verse  of  the  Universal  Prayer  was  a  favorite 
quotation, 

'That  mercy  I  to  others  show, 
That  mercy,  show  to  me.' 

"He  sought  no  reputation  as  a  philanthropist,  cared  little 
for  approval,  and  nothing  for  applause,  but  I  can  say  of  him, 
without  reserve,  that  during  all  these  years  I  knew  him,  he 
went  about  doing  good." 

Standing  to-day  in  the  presence  of  these  classic  and  palatial 
halls  of  learning,  we  look  around  in  vain  for  any  attempt  to 
impress  or  burden  "any  person"  who  may  seek  knowledge  at 
these  sources  with  his  personal  beliefs  or  religious  opinions, 
or  with  anything  that  will  make  prominent  his  own  opinions 
or  maxims  of  life.  But  if  we  seek  a  sign  and  look  over  the 
door  of  his  private  residence,  we  read  a  brief,  significant  and 
notable  motto,  modestly  carved  in  the  solid  capstone  over  the 
principal  entrance,  which  to  every  Cornell  student  will  be  a 
cherished  remembrance,  an  admonition,  and  an  inspiration.  A 
student  of  Cornell  will  need  seek  no  other  heraldic  device  with 


360  GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD 

which  to  emblazon  shield  or  coat  of  arms,  other  than  the 
severely  simple  motto,  "True  and  firm." 

The  moral  culture  of  students  reared  under  the  influence  of 
such  ideas  and  example  is  a  great  and  constant  addition  to 
the  forces  that  enoble  American  civilization.  Such  a  career 
involves  practical  religion,  a  life  stimulated  and  permeated  in 
thought  and  act  with  a  divine  spirit,  so  fully  that  there  is  left 
no  time  to  formulate  a  creed,  time  only  to  exhibit  a  noble  one 
in  action.  "My  voice  is  in  my  sword,"  declared  the  resolute 
MacDuff  as  he  faced  the  tyrant  of  Scotland.  "My  thought  is 
my  deed"  might  have  been  the  parallel  utterances  of  Ezra 
Cornell,  and  to  it  we  can  certainly  add  with  pride  and  grati 
tude  to-day — "and  here  stands  the  deed  founded  on  a  rock, 
embodied  in  strength  and  beauty,  thrilling  with  mighty,  grow 
ing,  deathless  power."  "True  and  Firm ;  True  and  Firm." 

ADDRESS    AT   PRESENTATION    OF    FLAG    TO 
COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY,  MAY  7,  1898. 

Mr.  President  Low — Our  services  of  dedication  are  ended. 
Holding  in  my  hand  a  list  of  the  gallant  sons  of  Columbia 
who  in  years  past,  from  its  foundation  in  1754  down  to  the 
commencement  of  the  existing  war  in  April,  1898,  beginning 
with  Thomas  Marston,  a  graduate  of  1758,  your  first  class, 
who  was  a  member  of  the  Revolutionary  Committee  of  1775, 
and  including  such  distinguished  alumni  of  Columbia  as 
John  Parke  Custis,  Harman  Rutgers,  of  the  Continental  Army, 
killed  in  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  1776;  Major-General 
Alexander  Hamilton,  of  the  United  States  Army,  who  was 
upon  the  staff  of  General  Washington;  Jacob  Morris,  of  1775, 
an  Aide-de-Camp  to  General  Greene;  Ogden  Hoffman,  of 
1812,  Midshipman  in  the  United  States  Navy;  a  De  Peyster, 
Captain  of  the  United  States  Army;  a  Kearney,  Colonel  of 
Dragoons  and  Brigadier-General  in  the  Army,  and  Governor 
of  Vera  Cruz,  and  of  the  City  of  Mexico  during  the  war  of 
1848;  another  Kearney,  the  famous  brave  and  gallant  "Phil" 
Kearney,  a  Major-General  killed  at  Chantilly  at  the  age  of 
47,  in  1862;  the  brave  General  Ellis,  killed  at  Gettysburg,  and 
the  noble  Richard  Tilden  Auchmuty,  breveted  for  gallantry 
at  Gettysburg;  F.  Augustus  Schermerhorn,  brevetted  for  gal 
lantry  at  Five  Forks,  who  gave  his  splendid  yacht  to  the 
Government  a  few  days  since;  General  Stewart  L.  Woodford, 
now  on  his  way  to  us  from  Spain;  General  Henry  E.  Davies, 
of  the  class  of  '57,  who  won  his  stars  as  a  Major-General  at 
the  point  of  his  sword  in  the  war  for  the  union;  Henry 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  361 

Ketteltas,  of  the  same  class,  brevetted  for  gallantry  at  Shiloh, 
Chickamauga,  and  Mission  Ridge;  Alfred  T.  Mahan,  who 
went  from  here  to  graduate  at  the  Naval  Academy  in  '59,  and 
so  through  the  long  list  in  the  staff  and  other  departments. 
Time  does  not  permit  to  name  them  all,  although  included 
with  the  list  are  members  of  our  Post,  and  the  names  of  such 
distinguished  families  as  the  Jays,  the  Morris's,  the  King's, 
and  members  of  your  faculty  now  with  you,  the  Surgeon- 
General  of  the  Army  and  others.  These  names  are  reminders 
that  it  needs  not  this  flag,  it  needs  not  eloquence  nor  words 
of  patriotism  for  the  purpose  of  inculcating  in  the  Sons  of 
Columbia  a  spirit  of  devotion  to  flag  and  country.  That 
seed  has  been  well  planted  here,  and  will  continue  in  the 
future,  as  in  the  past,  to  bring  forth  its  fruits.  I  recall  with 
pleasure  and  pride  your  own  eloquent  words  upon  the  historic 
field  of  Gettysburg,  and  your  glorious  tribute  to  the  gallant 
I4th  Regiment  of  Brooklyn,  to-day  again  in  the  field  at  its 
country's  call.  I  fully  realize  what  effect  the  words  and 
example  of  your  administration  of  Columbia  will  be ;  it  suffices 
to  give  you  for  Columbia  this  tribute  from  our  Post  of  Vet 
erans;  may  it  perform  the  double  duty  of  saying  to  you,  to 
the  young  men  assembled  here,  and  to  those  who  will  come 
in  the  future,  that  our  veterans,  and  the  veterans  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic  appreciate  the  service  of  Columbia's 
sons  for  that  flag,  and  have  full  confidence  that  their  glorious 
service  in  the  past  will  always  be  repeated  in  the  future. 

In  the  name  of  my  comrades  of  Lafayette  Post  No.  140, 
Department  of  New  York,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
representing  soldiers  and  sailors  who  defended  the  integrity 
and  authority  of  the  nation  in  the  past.  In  the  names  of  my 
comrades  who  in  the  present  are  again  showing  their  loyalty 
and  devotion  to  the  flag  and  country,  I  present  to  you  this 
pedestal  and  staff  dedicated  to  the  purposes  set  forth  in  the 
address  of  our  late  commander  and  comrade,  Admiral  Meade, 
when  the  flag,  glorious  emblem  of  our  nationality,  was  pre 
sented  two  years  since.  With  those  ceremonies  we  may  now 
recall  the  words  and  promise  of  our  then  commander,  the 
gallant  and  lamented  Meade. 

You  will  find  in  imperishable  bronze  the  words  so  im 
pressively  spoken  on  these  grounds  to  you  by  Admiral  Meade 
— -"Love,  Cherish  and  Defend  It."  You  will  also  find  the 
emblem  of  our  order,  whose  history  (yet  unwritten),  I  trust 
some  day  may  be,  replete  as  it  is  with  the  grandest  spirit  and 
example  of  Fraternity,  Charity  and  Loyalty  of  a  noble  char- 


362  GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD 

acter,  in  the  service  and  the  money  it  has  given  from  the 
generosity  of  our  comrades  to  comrades  and  their  families  in 
distress. 

Accept  it,  sir,  with  our  trust  that  the  historic  loyalty  and 
devotion  of  Columbia  to  our  country  and  flag,  its  prompt 
response  to  every  call  and  requirement  therefor,  will  continue 
to  add  to  the  rolls  of  honor  to  be  emblazoned  upon  the  walls 
of  your  splendid  and  historical  institution  of  learning.  It  is 
yours,  the  gift  of  our  comrades  to  Columbia. 

Accept  it,  sir,  and  may  blessings  and  prosperity  ever  rest 
upon  you  and  upon  Columbia  in  future  as  in  the  past,  while 
you  adhere  always  to  the  principles  and  spirit  it  illustrates  and 
calls  forth — and  may  God  bless  Columbia. 

[Two  days  later  President  Low  wrote  to  General  Butter- 
field  :  "I  write  just  a  line  to  tell  you  how  much  we  all  enjoyed 
the  ceremony  of  Saturday  afternoon.  Every  one  who  took  part 
in  it  thought  it  a  most  impressive  occasion.  I  need  not  say  to 
you  that  we  are  very  proud  of  our  staff  and  flag,  and  that  the 
University  feels  very  closely  united  in  interest  with  Lafayette 
Post  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic." — EDITOR.] 

WHAT  SHALL  OUR  COLONIAL  POLICY  BE? 

Address  to  the  Society  of  Colonial  Wars,  New  York, 
November  30,  1898. 

In  1776  Congress  resolved  that  "these  United  Colonies  are, 
and  of  right  ought  to  be,  free  and  independent  States."  Since 
that  declaration  until  now  we  have  dropped  the  colonial  busi 
ness  except  in  recalling  historic  memories  and  services  of  our 
colonial  ancestors. 

If  the  inhabitants  of  our  newly-acquired  possessions  were  of 
the  same  sterling  qualities  and  intelligence  as  our  original 
colonies,  the  policy  question  would  settle  itself.  There  is 
where  the  whole  difficulty  comes  in  a  response  to  the  subject 
you  give  me. 

As  a  result  of  the  recent  war,  so  chivalrously  undertaken 
and  gloriously  consummated,  we  are  confronted  with  a  prob 
lem  demanding  careful  consideration  of  candid  minds,  inspired 
by  high  civic  and  national  ideas,  demanding  right  and  justice 
to  our  own  people  at  home  and  to  those  we  have  conquered 
abroad.  Meeting  the  case  any  other  way  is  unworthy  of  our 
race  and  history.  We  shall  meet  it  with  courage,  deliberation 
and  right.  The  magnificent  record  of  the  chosen  servant  of  the 
people,  whom  war  with  our  laws  and  customs  found  with  full 


GENERAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  363 

power  as  our  leader,  gives  us  confidence  that  William 
McKinley  will  wisely  recommend  such  action  by  Congress  as 
the  situation  demands.  His  advisers  in  statecraft  are  not  new 
to  the  business.  Their  brains  and  judgment  command  public 
confidence. 

The  Congress  to  assemble  next  week  was  not  elected  with 
this  issue  in  sight,  hence  we  may  more  freely  express  our 
views  upon  the  subject.  In  our  history  grave  issues  have  de 
manded  and  received  compromises.  We  who  want  all  advan 
tages  of  our  new  acquisitions  without  the  disadvantages  of 
placing  them  in  their  periods  of  political  incubation  on  a 
Territorial  plane  for  the  dignity  of  Statehood,  want  them  to 
possess  a  potentiality  other  than  mere  numbers  to  permit  them 
at  any  time  to  become  sovereign  States  and  integral  parts  of 
this  Union.  Expansion  is  here,  and  we  must  guard  against 
the  great  danger  of  these  countries  becoming  co-equal  mem 
bers  of  this  Union  by  the  one  safe  and  sure  guarantee  of  a 
constitutional  amendment  that  shall  prohibit  admission  of  any 
State  into  the  Union  which  is  not  a  portion  of  the  American 
continent. 

A  new  page  in  our  history  is  opened.  We  are  aligned,  per 
haps  allied  somewhat,  in  policy  with  England;  we  are  in  closer 
parallel  with  the  ancient  republic  of  Rome.  We  awake  to  the 
fact  that  the  statesmen  of  England  have  had  an  underlying 
purpose  other  than  mere  expansion  and  land-grabbing  for  its 
sake.  They  have  been  hunting  and  working  for  employment, 
food  and  development  of  their  population  overgrowing  their 
limited  area  and  capacity.  We  have  room  enough,  but  we 
hear  a  call  for  the  benefits  of  trade  and  commerce  to  our  own 
people.  It  rolls  along  with  a  different  chord  to  its  germane 
call  for  philanthropic  and  humane  ideas.  We  must  not  ig 
nore  it. 

The  problem  is  full  of  vexations.  Shall  we  be  as  wise  as 
England  and  hold  our  Government  and  rule  within  ourselves? 

Put  up  the  bars  and  so  declare  by  constitutional  amendment 
if  need  be. 

No  more  States  outside  our  present  boundary  on  this  con 
tinent. 

Colonies  if  you  will — yes,  and  for  them  a  colonial  policy. 

Shall  the  mathematics  of  population  dominate  the  moral, 
political  and  commercial  considerations  involved?  No. 

If  so,  Hawaii  can  knock  at  the  doors  of  Congress  for  ad 
mission,  and  what  would  she  be? — about  5,000  intelligent 
whites,  counting  our  British  brethren  there,  as  against  more 


364  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

than  ten  times  that  number  of  raw  Japanese  and  native 
Hawaiians. 

Think  of  that  uneducated  vote  handled  by  political  adven 
turers  and  greedy  corporations !  And  yet,  in  the  august  Senate 
of  the  United  States,  the  vote  of  such  a  likely-to-be  rotten 
borough — without  the  vote  or  the  intelligence  of  one  of  our 
Assembly  districts — would  equal  that  of  the  imperial  State  of 
New  York.  The  proposition  is  abhorrent,  a  revolt  to  reason. 
Demagogues  of  our  day,  confined  to  no  one  party,  will  urge 
that  there  is  no  justice  in  denying  Hawaii  seats  in  the  National 
Senate  when  pocket  boroughs  such  as  Nevada,  Montana  or 
polygamous  Utah,  have  them.  Justice  is  a  most  potent  word, 
but  what  justice  or  common  sense  in  making  one  colossal 
blunder  and  political  crime  serve  as  a  precedent  for  perpe 
trating  another? 

At  their  worst  these  States  of  ours  present  racial  raw  ma 
terial  for  splendid  American  citizenship.  They  have  the  po 
tentiality  of  developing  coherent  balanced  and  creditable  com 
monwealths.  Such  is  not  the  case  with  Hawaii. 

These  arguments  apply  with  greater  force  to  other  posses 
sions,  the  war  we  did  not  seek  has  brought  us.  The  Philip 
pines  have  a  population  of  about  seven  millions.  Of  this  vast 
number  not  one-twentieth  has  education,  as  we  understand  the 
term,  to  fit  them  for  American  citizenship.  It  is  doubtful  if  the 
present  generation  could  be  reasonably  expected  to  become 
competent  citizens  of  the  United  States. 

Commodore  Vanderbilt,  the  founder  of  the  family,  was  won 
derfully  vigorous  and  terse  of  expression  in  making  an  illus 
tration.  Speaking  of  Wall  Street  speculators  who  took  on 
greater  burdens  than  they  could  carry,  for  prospective  profits, 
when  asked  the  trouble,  he  replied:  "Those  fellows  bit  off 
more  than  they  could  chaw."  Would  we  not  find  ourselves 
in  a  similar  plight  with  these  possessions,  before  their  political 
digestion  was  accomplished,  if  we  attempt  Territorial  and  State 
absorption? 

Development  does  not  move  spasmodically — English, 
French,  Germans  and  ourselves  have  taken  a  few  ages  to 
arrive  at  our  present  degree  and  exercise  of  political  liberty. 
It  would  be  a  grievous  wrong  to  the  Filipinos  to  make  them 
our  political  equals,  before  they  have  taken  on  education  even 
much  below  the  average  we  possess. 

Porto  Rico  ethically,  though  less  numerically,  enforces  this 
contention.  Her  population  in  1887  was  814,000,  of  which 
about  300,000  were  negroes,  and  Cuba,  in  1894,  had  1,000,000, 


GENERAL    DAXIEL    BUTTERFIELD  365 

of  whom  35  per  cent.,  or  over  550,000,  were  negroes.  In  round 
numbers  ten  million  of  people  to  be  added  to  our  population 
if  the  surmise  is  probable  that  Cuba  must  remain  under  our 
protectorate  indefinitely.  These  ten  millions  in  no  wise  quali 
fied  or  capable  of  qualification  within  many  years,  to  become 
full-fledged  American  citizens  with  their  several  habitats 
recognized  as  Territories  and  then  as  sovereign  States — 300 
years  under  Spain  gives  no  evidence  or  foundation  for  belief 
that  they  will  be  qualified. 

No,  gentlemen,  unless  we  want  to  accentuate  the  present  all- 
sufficient  abuses  of  our  political  system  and  stimulate  corrup 
tion  by  endowing  ignorance  with  power,  we  shall  not  tolerate 
the  idea  that  Hawaii,  Cuba,  Porto  Rico,  the  Philippines,  or 
even  Alaska,  are  to  be  erected  into  States  of  this  Union. 

Consider  for  a  moment  that,  based  upon  careful  calculation 
of  the  growth  of  our  population  since  the  formation  of  the 
United  States,  we  are  able  to  estimate  with  practical  precision 
that  our  present  American  population  of,  say  75,000,000,  will 
be  150,000,000  within  the  next  38  years,  this  without  foreign 
mixture  from  our  new  possessions.  That  is  to  say,  that  within 
the  sound  of  my  voice  there  are  those  who  will  live  long 
enough  to  see  the  day  when,  if  these  foreign  races  are  admitted 
as  States,  one  branch  alone,  the  Asiatics,  under  a  moderately 
close  political  decision  of  our  own  people,  could  hold  a  balance 
of  power  in  Congress  to  settle  such  questions  as,  for  instance: 
Gold  or  silver  money,  paper  or  fiat  money,  based  on  sugar, 
hemp,  wheat,  tobacco  or  other  products,  declare  and  support 
a  State  religion  for  our  military  posts,  regiments,  ships  of  war, 
territorial  and  race  schools,  or  other  grave  and  serious  ques 
tions  not  unlikely  to  arise  in  a  government  liks  ours  under 
such  conditions. 

Do  you  think  such  a  state  of  affairs  will  conduce  to  the 
welfare  or  is  to  be  desired  for  the  American  people?  Is  it 
wise  to  open  the  door  for  the  possible  entrance  thereof? 

Now,  how  shall  we  govern  these  people?  What  shall  be 
our  policy?  I  answer,  Make  them  colonies  and  have  a  colonial 
policy — one  that  will  enable  us  to  devolve  their  government 
upon  themselves  as  fast  as  they  develop  capacity  therefor,  but 
that  shall  not  open  the  door  for  their  exercise  of  any  power 
or  control,  however  remote,  in  our  Government.  It  is  our 
right  and  our  duty  to  dictate  conditions  that  will  socially  and 
surely  guard  our  magnificent  political  fabric. 

We  have  no  right  to  leave  to  any  chance  of  future  possible 
danger  the  great  structure  of  free  government  by  trained  and 


366  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

educated  citizens,  which  produced  the  men  behind  the  guns 
and  trained  them  with  such  limited  numbers  to  astonish  the 
world  with  the  results. 

To  govern  with  the  military  arm  is  the  only  sound,  practical 
solution  of  the  problem.  Do  not  let  the  idea  of  such  a  course 
in  our  peaceful  republic  deter  you  from  considering  with  can 
did,  open  intelligence  this  bold  proposal. 

I  do  not  fire  a  blank  charge  at  your  minds  to  hear  a  musical 
echo  dance  itself  to  death  on  the  far-away  hills  of  fancy. 

Not  because  I  have  been  a  soldier  am  I  enamored  of  the 
military  form  of  government.  Witness  the  return  of  a  million 
men  to  the  works  and  arts  of  peace  from  our  civil  war  to  learn 
that  a  large  army  of  American  soldiers  in  our  Republic  is  a 
source  of  no  danger  compared  with  the  far  greater  one  of 
projecting  into  the  veins  of  a  body  politic  as  advanced  as  ours 
the  virus  of  a  vast  ignorance,  expressed  from  and  in  the  masses 
of  inferior  or  degenerate  races. 

We  must  keep  our  possessions  and  squarely  meet  the  ques 
tions  the  war  has  brought  us,  like  American  men.  It  will 
need  no  large  army  to  properly  garrison  our  Asiatic  and  West 
Indian  possessions  with  the  aid  of  our  magnificent  navy,  of 
which  we  are  so  justly  proud  and  which  we  must  and  will 
maintain. 

Great  Britain  maintains  her  rule  and  her  admirable  adminis 
tration  of  affairs  in  her  huge  and  scattered  colonies  with  an 
army  of  comparatively  small  size — so  can  we.  Do  you  ask 
my  reasons  why  a  military  government  will  be  best  for  our 
colonies  for  a  long  time  to  come?  I  answer: 

First — It  will  be  stable  and  even  in  its  operations.  Com 
manders  may  be  transferred,  but  no  change  of  governmental 
policy  will  follow  such  transfer. 

Second  (perhaps  this  should  be  first) — It  will  be  more  hon 
est  The  cause  is  not  far  to  seek.  Military  men  from  our 
Government  schools,  or  acquiring  that  training  in  service,  are 
not  prone  to  jobs  and  deals — they  rarely  ever  do — but  if  they 
do,  their  comrades'  noble  esprit  makes  short  shrift  for  them  in 
courts  martial. 

The  psychological  fact  is  that  men  to  whom  the  profession 
of  arms  is  attractive — soldiers  and  sailors  born  and  bred — 
are  not,  as  a  rule,  subject  to  the  allurements  of  commercial 
cupidity.  The  military  governors  taken  from  our  regular 
forces  will  not  palter,  will  not  betray  their  trust.  We  who 
have  served  with  them  and  of  them,  know  them  to  their  very 
bone,  and  we  trust  them  unreservedly.  They  will  be  to  us  as 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  367 

just  a  source  of  national  pride  as  the  military  governors  of 
provinces  were  to  Rome  in  her  day  of  greatness,  or  the  long, 
illustrious  roll  of  military  governors  among  whom  England  for 
several  centuries  has  found  but  one  to  impeach  for  high  crimes 
and  misdemeanors. 

The  third  reason  for  urging  military  government  for  colo 
nies  is  a  corollary  to  my  second.  It  will  be  vastly  more  eco 
nomical  and  more  efficient.  Local  improvements,  whatever 
they  are,  will  be  done  rightly  from  the  start,  and  will  last,  like 
the  roads  which  the  thoroughbred  Roman  built  in  Britain  to 
remain,  long  as  witnesses  of  his  work  after  the  bat  and  owl 
had  usurped  the  palaces  of  the  Caesars. 

The  cardinal  principle  of  the  practical  military  mind  is 
order  and  discipline.  Order  is  the  primary  need  where  inferior 
races  abound,  and  where  the  impractical,  disorderly  Spaniard 
has  misruled  so  many  years.  There  is  need  of  a  strong  arm 
to  subdue  guerrillas,  banditti,  etc.,  the  natural  legacy  from 
years  of  Spanish  oppression  and  misrule. 

Are  there  penalties  imposed  upon  localities,  then  the  results 
will  be  used  for  local  benefit  or  brought  home  as  the  grand  old 
Hero,  General,  and  Military  Governor  Winfield  Scott,  brought 
home  from  Mexico — the  fine  imposed  there,  and  built  a  sol 
diers'  home  for  our  Government. 

Military  occupation  for  a  very  considerable  period  is  forced 
upon  us.  Let  us  keep  it  there  until  every  evidence  comes  to  us 
and  satisfies  us  the  basis  of  fitness  and  education  is  up  to  the 
standard  of  our  original  colonies.  Then  set  them  up  for  them 
selves,  as  we  did,  or  add  them  as  worthy  stars  to  our  constel 
lation,  if  we  can  get  a  flag  big  enough. 

You  know  we  knocked  out  and  refused  admission  to  one 
State.  Putting  these  people  where  some  would  propose  would 
only  repeat  this  trouble.  The  example  of  this  kind  of  danger 
occurred  about  no  years  ago,  when  John  Sevier,  a  political 
brigand  of  his  time,  assisted  at  the  violent  birth  of  the  State 
of  Frankland,  or  Franklin,  harried  the  peaceable,  inferior  race, 
the  Indian,  in  his  vicinity,  and  nearly  succeeded  in  setting 
three  sovereign  States,  North  Carolina,  Virginia  and  Georgia, 
by  the  ears.  The  chaotic  State  of  Franklin,  a  secession  of 
certain  counties  from  North  Carolina,  lasted  for  about  three 
years  before  collapse  and  Sevier's  flight  for  his  life. 

Imagine  the  mischief  to  follow  in  the  Philippines  with  a 
Sevier  in  Aguinaldo  or  others!  We  can  handle  them  as  colo 
nies  ;  as  States  or  Territories  they  may  become  thorns  in  our 
flesh. 


368  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

If  some  one  cries  out  that  the  Constitution,  forsooth,  makes 
no  provision  for  our  having  colonies,  and  nothing  but  Terri 
tories  on  the  swift  way  to  statehood,  then  let  us  amend  the 
Constitution  as  proposed. 

The  poet  Lowell,  also,  by  the  by,  a  statesman,  like  the  poet 
Hay,  remarked  suggestively:  "New  occasions  teach  new 
duties.  Time  makes  ancient  good  uncouth." 

The  greatest  and  grandest  trust  that  was  ever  formed  in  the 
history  of  mankind  was  when  the  thirteen  original  colonies 
formed  the  great  trust  of  the  United  States  for  the  purposes 
of  a  Government  by  the  people,  for  the  benefit  of  the  people. 
We  have  since  admitted  many  partners  to  this  trust  for  the 
benefit  of  the  human  race.  Our  business  men  have  of  recent 
years  begun  to  follow  the  example  of  the  colonies  and  form 
trusts  for  their  own  benefit  in  trade.  When  they  don't  work 
for  the  general  good  the  people  will  turn  them  down,  probably. 

Let  us  not  spoil  our  own  original  grand  trust  of  the  United 
States  Government  and  be  turned  down  ourselves  by  taking  in 
dangerous  elements — diluting  and  weakening  it — not,  at  least, 
until  the  elements  we  add  have  the  virtues  and  the  strength 
equal  to  the  original.  Let  us  challenge  our  new  candidates 
for  Senatorial  honors  and  learn  their  opinions.  We  have  a 
right  to  them.  While  we  will  not  discuss  questions  of  trade 
and  open  doors,  leaving  that  to  wise  and  experienced  trained 
legislators  along  those  lines,  let  us  turn  from  the  immediate 
business  questions  of  sensible  administration  of  these  new 
possessions  to  broad  and  high  consideration  of  our  ultimate 
duty  toward  the  peoples  in  the  near  and  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth  over  whom  our  Flag  waves  in  victory  and  glory. 

In  due  course  of  years  duty  may  shape  itself  to  cover  with 
the  full  mantle  of  American  citizenship  all  inferior  or  delayed 
races  within  the  scope  of  our  sovereignty. 

Then  it  may  come  to  be  written  by  some  great  poet  of  a 
greater  future,  as  Claudian  wrote  of  his  beloved  Rome,  "Haec 
est  in  gremium,"  etc.,  and  we  may  read  him  transposed,  that 
"we  too,  have  raised  our  vassals  to  citizens  and  linked  far 
places  in  a  bond  of  love  and  made  the  world  one  family." 


Copy  of  TrumbulPs  Painting  of  Washington. 
Presented  to  Memorial  Hall,    West  Point,  by  General   Butterfield. 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  369 


REMARKS  ON  HIS  PRESENTATION  TO  THE  CUL- 
LUM  MEMORIAL  HALL  AT  WEST  POINT,  OF 
THE  PORTRAIT  OF  GENERAL  GEORGE  WASH 
INGTON,  MAY  30,  1900. 

[In  addition  to  the  large  painting  of  Washington,  General  Butterfleld 
was  a  liberal  subscriber  to  the  Battle  Monument  at  West  Point  and  the 
donor  of  a  copy  of  Salvator  Rosa's  Battle  on  the  Bridge,  a  Large  Tablet 
with  list  of  graduates  killed  in  action  during  the  first  century  of  the  ex 
istence  of  the  United  States  Military  Academy;  Medallions  of  Generals 
Anthony  Wayne  and  Winfield  Scott;  and  an  enlargement  of  a  photograph 
ic  group  of  Generals  Sheridan,  Merritt,  Forsyth,  Devin  and  Ouster.  But 
terfleld,  who  was  deeply  interested  in  the  West  Point  Memorial  Hall,  was 
also  instrumental  in  persuading  many  others  to  present  portraits  and 
other  gifts,  to  be  displayed  in  the  new  building. — EDITOR.] 

This  Memorial  Day  and  this  Memorial  Hall  are  most  fitting 
in  time  and  place  for  a  tribute  to  him  whose  service  and 
example  as  a  soldier  was  the  seed  for  the  foundation  of  the 
spirit  and  example  that  easily  makes  him  the  founder  of  the 
Army  so  magnificently  created  and  perpetuated  here — in  its 
esprit  du  corps,  personal  bearing  and  chivalry  as  soldiers. 

The  presentation  of  the  portrait  of  Washington  to  West 
Point,  the  military  school  of  the  nation  which  calls  him  Father, 
caused  consultation  as  to  the  selection  of  Trumbull's  painting 
as  safer  to  follow  than  to  attempt  any  new  creation;  and  the 
courtesy  of  His  Honor,  the  Mayor  of  New  York,  permitted 
the  reproduction  of  the  portrait  painted  for  New  York  City  and 
now  hanging  in  the  halls  of  that  city.  Of  the  many  men  that 
have  been  chosen  with  other  required  qualities  there  never  was 
a  finer  specimen  of  physical  manhood,  patriotism,  devotion  to 
duty,  and  a  high  standard  of  honor  than  Washington.  More 
than  six  feet  in  height,  his  colonial  style  of  uniform  which  the 
army  of  his  day  wore,  and  is  to-day  admired  as  a  gentleman 
soldier's  apparel;  the  white  horse  he  rode  at  Yorktown  when 
he  received  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis;  all  render  his  an 
heroic  figure  never  better  described  than  by  the  pen  of  the 
Marquis  de  Chastellux,  as  caught  by  the  pencil  of  Trumbull, 
in  the  following  words:  ''A  stature  noble  and  lofty,  a  figure 
well  made  and  exactly  proportioned,  the  head  rather  small. 
Neither  a  grave  nor  a  familiar  face;  the  brow  sometimes 
marked  with  thought,  but  never  with  inquietude;  inspiring 
respect,  he  inspires  confidence,  and  his  smile  is  always  the 
smile  of  benevolence."  Other  close  observers  likewise  have 
specially  noted  that  Washington's  head  was  small ;  and  it  may 
be  softly  said  that,  unlike  those  of  some  of  our  Presidents,  it 
always  remained  so. 


370  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

Here  in  our  vicinity  the  work  he  strove  to  do  was  chiefly 
of  a  constructive  and  preventive  character;  to  get  his  army 
into  better  condition  and  to  thwart  the  British  in  their  plan  of 
making  our  noble  Hudson  River  act  as  a  line  of  cleaving 
between  the  eastern  and  western,  perhaps  we  should  say  the 
northern  and  southern,  forces  of  patriot  rebels — this  was 
Washington's  aim  and  measurably  his  accomplishment. 

In  doing  this  he  assembled  here  most  of  the  grand  spirits 
among  the  soldiers  in  the  war  and  impressed  his  spirit  upon 
them.  His  character  and  his  personal  beauty  seems  to  have 
descended  as  a  birthright  upon  the  noble  class  of  men  who 
were  trained  in  this  school  since  the  days  when  he  fortified  this 
place  in  1779,  which  caused  it  to  be  followed  by  this  Academy. 
It  seems  to  me  that  it  was  Washington's  spirit  that  has  ever 
since  hovered  over  the  Academy,  this  soil  that  has  been  so 
productive  of  men — such  wonderful  examples  of  splendid  char 
acter  as  soldiers  and  gentlemen — who  have  preserved  in  an 
absolute  democracy  so  grand  a  corps,  who  have  safeguarded 
the  honor  of  their  country  even  at  the  cost  of  imprisonment 
and  dishonor  to  those  who  failed  in  their  trust.  The  value  of 
its  work  is  not  fully  understood  even  with  Scott's  tribute  from 
the  Mexican  War.  Only  those  who  have  held  positions  and 
experience  in  war  to  know  what  this  institution  has  done 
through  its  alumni  can  fully  realize  it,  and  we  cannot  keep 
from  coupling  it  with  Washington  and  regarding  him  by 
knowledge  and  study  of  him  as  its  founder  with  being  the 
founder  of  the  army.  But  as  I  am  wandering  from  our  founder 
I  cannot  abstain  from  a  word  of  justice  and  honor  so  deserved 
by  West  Point's  children. 

Unlike  the  famous  men  of  history,  Washington  was  illus 
trious  from  whatever  side  approached;  in  civic  life  alone  his 
name  would  illumine  history  if  his  military  record  did  not.  It 
has  often  occurred  to  me  that  too  little  note  has  been  taken 
of  Washington  as  the  leader  of  his  country  in  times  of  peace. 
As  a  statesman  he  stands  before  the  critic  of  the  centuries  as 
grandly  as  the  General  of  Armies. 

During  the  struggle  for  existence,  when  this  nation  formed 
a  confederation  for  mutual  safety,  he  quickly  saw  that  it  was 
only  a  rope  of  sand  that  held  the  parts  together,  and  so  pro 
claimed  it  upon  every  fitting  occasion.  The  Articles  of  Con 
federation  he  regarded  as  a  memorandum  of  mutual  good-will, 
but  having  in  themselves  no  vital  political  power. 

The  war  ended  with  this  semblance  of  a  Government,  each 
State  liable,  as  he  foresaw,  to  enter  into  a  death  struggle  with 


GENERAL    DANIEL   BUTTEEFIELD  371 

its  neighbor  and  thus  destroy  all  that  had  been  contended  for 
in  the  seven  years  of  titanic  efforts  for  the  liberty  of  man.  But 
no  mortal  man,  other  than  Washington,  had  the  iufluence  to 
say  this  condition  shall  be  changed.  Suspicion  paralyzed  the 
tongue  of  every  other  citizen  who  dared  to  raise  his  voice  for 
reorganization  and  constitutional  confederation.  And  so  mat 
ters  ran  on  for  a  period  of  four  years  after  Washington  had 
yielded  his  sword  at  Annapolis. 

At  last,  Maryland  and  Virginia  began  the  mutter  of  discon 
tent  as  separate  nationalities,  and  then  Washington,  with  that 
wisdom  which  never  seemed  to  be  foreign  to  any  of  his  acts, 
stepped  upon  the  platform  as  the  champion  of  a  genuine  and 
effective  reform.  He  advised  Virginia  to  invite  the  other 
States  to  a  convention  for  laying  the  foundations  of  a  stable 
government.  Virginia,  of  all  the  States,  was  obedient  to  his 
word,  and  the  convention  followed  which  gave  us  that  union 
under  which  we  have  flourished  so  greatly  and  which  we  have 
since  fought  with  spartan  valor  to  defend. 

Washington  was  easily  the  Father  of  this  Convention,  and 
hence  the  Father  of  our  present  Constitution.  Men  opposed 
this  who  should  have  been  wise  enough  to  foresee  the  neces 
sity,  but  amid  the  acrimonious  fight  that  followed,  for  and 
against  the  adoption  of  our  present  rule  of  government,  it  was 
the  hand  of  Washington  that  beat  all  others  down.  If  peace 
has  her  victories  as  brilliant  as  those  of  war,  Washington 
surely  has  the  right  to  wear  the  laurels  of  the  forum  as  well  as 
the  sword  of  Mars. 

It  is  not  the  time  here  to  review  his  life  as  President  and 
his  many  beneficial  acts  as  the  wise  ruler  of  the  Republic. 
When  he  refused  to  be  embroiled  with  France  into  a  war  with 
England,  he  gained  a  special  and  specific  claim  upon  the 
gratitude  of  every  American  whose  birthright  might  have  been 
fatally  imperiled  by  such  a  rash  adventure. 

Passing  from  his  civic  life  to  that  of  the  soldier,  necessary 
to  be  here  taken  up,  though  ever  so  briefly,  on  this  occasion, 
another  view  is  presented  to  be  embodied  with  my  offering  of 
this  portrait  to  the  Academy  and  the  Memorial  Hall,  which, 
I  ask  you,  gentlemen  of  the  Academic  Board,  to  accept  in 
accordance  with  your  invitation. 

A  chief  element  in  the  character  of  Washington,  leading  him 
on  to  success,  was  his  equipoise  of  mind  under  all  circum 
stances.  Whether  in  the  cabinet  or  the  field,  he  was  always 
master  of  himself.  It  is  said  of  Napoleon,  that  at  the  bridge 
of  Arcola  he  was  less  excited  than  if  on  a  dress  parade.  He 


372  GENERAL    DANIEL    BUTTERFIELD 

undoubtedly  was  enthusiastic,  for  the  situation  made  this 
unavoidable;  but  he  never  for  a  moment  lost  the  control  of  all 
his  faculties.  If  this  be  the  test  of  military  genius,  then  Wash 
ington  was  endowed  beyond  all  the  great  military  leaders  of 
history.  Self-possessed  even  to  austerity  in  the  house  of  ease, 
he  never  lost  this  important  mental  control  in  the  rush  of 
fiercest  battle.  From  the  opening  of  the  war  for  Indepen 
dence,  he  was  easily  the  moving  and  the  controlling  spirit  of 
every  campaign,  and  never  once  can  he  be  charged  with  losing 
self-control,  unless  it  be  on  the  occasion  of  Lee's  unaccountable 
retreat  at  Monmouth,  which  Washington  was  justified  at  the 
moment  in  regarding  as  insolent  insubordination  if  not  covert 
treason,  and  when  he  launched  upon  the  culprit's  head  the  only 
harsh  language  attributed  to  him  through  the  entire  seven 
years  of  unequal  conflict  with  England.  A  man  thus  organ 
ized  is  ordained  for  any  fortune,  with  full  possession  of  all  his 
faculties  in  direst  emergency.  To  particularize  one  would  have 
to  rewrite  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  But  before  the  Revolu 
tion  Washington  had  revealed  those  characteristics  which  were 
afterward  to  make  him  the  famed  hero  of  all  the  centuries. 

As  a  soldier  with  Braddock,  he  was  the  calm  and  self- 
possessed  Captain  who  was  decreed  of  Providence  to  save  the 
army,  after  the  commander  fell.  And  doubtless  he  never  would 
have  fallen  had  he  listened  to  the  advice  of  his  subordinate, 
who  saw  as  clearly  the  line  of  duty  amid  the  shower  of  savage 
arrows  on  the  Monongahela  as  he  would  have  seen  it  on  a 
dress  parade.  The  story  is  well  worn  of  the  old  Indian  who 
complained  that  he  had  fired  seventeen  times  at  the  figure  of 
Washington,  who  notwithstanding  remained  unhurt  and  undis 
mayed  ;  it  was  this  coolness  which  paralyzed  the  arm  of  the 
dusky  warrior  and  nullified  his  aim. 

On  Dorchester  Heights  before  Boston,  this  great  chief  was 
to  give  to  his  country  the  first  evidence  of  his  power.  He 
there  besieged  Howe  with  a  force  far  inferior  to  the  British 
enemy  and  compelled  him  to  fly  in  trepidation  from  the  vic 
torious  republicans.  At  the  hour  of  his  triumph,  the  army  of 
Washington  was  undisciplined,  unorganized  and  without  guns 
and  ammunition.  The  adversary  was  oversupplied  in  every 
thing.  Yet  General  William  Howe  fled  to  Halifax,  and  Wash 
ington,  impotent  in  all  that  made  an  army  formidable,  ex 
cepting  always  his  own  unyielding  genius  of  self-mastery,  took 
possession  of  the  surrendered  city.  A  pitched  battle  upon  the 
open  plain,  with  lives  of  thousands  made  victims  to  voracious 
war,  could  have  accomplished  no  more. 


GENEBAL   DANIEL   BUTTERFIELD  373 

Next  at  Long  Island  do  the  garlands  which  destiny  weaves 
for  her  favorites  fall  profusely  upon  the  brow  of  Washington. 
It  was  a  moment  of  great  expectations.  The  American  Army 
was  well  placed,  and  as  far  as  good  judgment  could  foretell 
the  future,  the  British  were  to  meet  with  their  second  great 
disaster.  Generals  Greene  and  Putnam  and  Sullivan  were 
names  of  men  tried  and  true,  and  it  seemed  that  not  even 
fickle  chance  could  possibly  give  to  the  invading  British  the 
baton  of  success  in  this  bloody  game.  But  lofty  expectation 
came  to  grief.  Greene  sick  and  away  from  his  command, 
Putnam  blundered;  and  the  enemy  was  looking  for  the  signal 
of  complete  surrender  of  the  American  forces,  when  the  fatal 
day  closed  and  darkness  rent  this  signal  from  the  exulting 
victors.  At  this  direful  moment,  Washington  crossed  the  East 
River,  and  on  his  coming  the  guardian  angel  of  patriots'  cause 
at  once  spread  his  wings  in  protection  of  its  shattered  hopes. 
Night  and  day,  for  forty-eight  hours,  Washington  was  con 
tinuously  in  his  saddle;  and  when  the  enemy  advanced  to  take 
possession  of  the  fallen  banners  of  the  Americans,  they 
marched  into  empty  entrenchments  from  which  the  late  occu 
pants  had  marched  in  safe  retreat.  In  all  history  of  man's 
contentions  in  serried  lines  upon  contested  fields,  there  is 
probably  no  movement  more  brilliant  than  this,  or  more  full 
of  that  genius  whose  symbol  is  the  sword. 

Passing  White  Plains  and  Harlem  Heights,  the  after  march 
across  New  Jersey,  calls  tears  of  pity  to  glistening  eyes  when 
ever  the  wintry  disasters  and  sufferings  of  this  tramp  are  given 
a  recital.  It  was  Washington  alone  who  said,  "I  will  not 
despair."  All  others  did,  and  many,  even  of  the  best,  were 
in  favor  of  capitulation.  His  aid  may  well  have  said  to  his 
companion  of  equal  rank : 

"There  is  something  of  mystery  about 
This  man  that  inspires  a  sense  of  awe,  which 
No  other  mortal  gives.    I  tell  you,  George — 
He  is  the  one  hope  we  have  of  victory; 
And  upon  his  single  palm  he  bears  up  our 
Falling  fortunes,  as  God  bears  up  the  world." 

After  the  trials  of  retreat  across  the  States  comes  the  Battle 
of  Trenton.  Who  but  Washington  could  have  planned  this 
trial  of  arms,  confronting  the  grinding  ice  of  the  Delaware, 
and  have  executed  his  plan  alone,  after  the  abandonment  of 
his  co-operating  generals.  Great  Alexander  at  the  Granicus 


374 

or  at  Arbela  did  no  work  of  greater  military  genius.  Nor  did 
any  general  at  any  time  do  a  work  of  greater  consequences. 
It  turned  the  entire  fortunes  of  the  war.  The  British,  confident 
that  the  war  was  ended,  were  making  plans  for  departure  for 
England.  Washington  at  Trenton  and  Princeton  changed  the 
situation;  and  reviving  patriotic  hopes  from  his  success,  never 
flagged  again  during  the  entire  war.  At  Brandywine,  Wash 
ington,  as  at  Trenton,  led  his  troops,  but  the  errors  of  Sullivan 
made  his  well  planned  fight  a  failure.  He  saved  his  army  from 
capture  by  the  same  skill  which  guided  him  at  Long  Island; 
and  at  Valley  Forge  in  the  winter  ensuing,  he  made  the  life  of 
Howe  in  Philadelphia  as  unhappy  as  before  he  had  made  it  in 
Boston.  And  he  did  all  this  with  only  a  skirmish  line  of 
starving,  clotheless,  freezing  soldiers,  held  in  their  places  by 
the  magic  of  his  personality.  Saratoga  at  this  time  was  the 
triumph  of  his  strategy,  for  no  point  in  the  great  war  was 
beyond  his  care.  Then  came  the  treason  of  Arnold,  more 
crushing  to  him  than  an  army  lost,  for  he  appreciated  Arnold's 
dash  and  courage,  and  the  full  reliance  ever  to  be  placed  upon 
the  success  of  any  work  committed  to  his  sword,  while  his 
heart  was  still  true.  Yet  Great  Washington,  even  above  trea 
son,  could  rise  serene  and  confident,  and  welcome  the  French 
now  arrived  to  unite  their  swords  with  his. 

Yorktown  was  the  next  and  final  test  of  power  between  the 
contending  forces  in  which  Washington  personally  took  part; 
and  here  as  ever  he  was  the  prudent  and  brave  commander. 

Cornwallis  was  surrounded  by  a  cordon  of  fire,  arranged  by 
the  foresight  of  Washington  before  the  French  fleet  had  left 
the  West  Indies  for  our  shores,  provided  that  fleet  sailed  into 
the  Chesapeake  instead  of  into  the  harbor  of  New  York.  When 
the  news  came  that  the  allies  had  so  entered  Southern  waters 
the  doom  of  the  British  invader  was  sealed.  Washington, 
end,  by  the  genius  of  his  self-control  and  exalted  common 
always  the  self-poised,  calm,  conscientious  Chief  even  to  the 
sense,  as  his  reward,  gained  the  sword  of  Cornwallis  and  the 
acclaim  of  all  nations,  that  he  was 

"The  one,  solitary,  alone,  Immortal." 

Fitly  and  properly  he  stands  here,  not  as  a  graduate,  but  as 
the  type  and  founder  of  the  best  of  our  army — and  so  I  hand 
him  over  to  you. 


INDEX 


Adams    Express    Company,   6,  8, 

10,  12,  46. 

Arlington,  Va.,  37,  41. 
Alexandria,  Va.,  41. 
Appletons'    Cyclopaedia    American 

Biography,   199. 
Appomattox,  100. 
Army  Badges,  167. 
Army    of    the    Cumberland,    199, 

241. 
Army   of   the    Potomac,   47,    ill, 

179,  181,  186,  329. 
Army  of  the  Tennessee,  320. 
Arthur,  Chester  A.,  167. 
Astor,  William  B.,  171. 
Aspinwall,  W.  H.,  171. 
Atlanta  Campaign,   145. 
Averell,  William  W.,  51,  206. 
Avery,   Robert,  236. 
Auchmuty,  Richard  T.,  64,  88,  93, 

300. 

Baird,  Absolem,  183. 
Banks,  Nathaniel  P.,  143. 
Barlow,  Francis  C,  183. 
Barnard,  John  G.,  54,  82,  84. 
Barnum,    Henry    A.,    52,    87,    93, 

167. 

Bayard,  Thomas  F.,  199. 
Bay  Colony,  Mass.,  I. 
Beaver  Dam  Creek,  77. 
Bedford,  Bishop  of  177. 
Bemis  Heights,  327. 
Benson's  Battery,  61. 
Berdan's  Sharpshooters,  61,  98. 
Bergh,  Henry,  32,  35,  134-5,  176. 
Bigelow,  John,  297. 
Birney,  James  G.,  59,  129. 
Bloxham,  W.  D.,  206,  208. 
Bridwales,  Captain,  194. 
Buchanan,  James,  5. 
Bradford,  William,  314. 
Buchanan's  Brigade,  107-8. 
Bugle  Calls,  47-9. 
Buford,  John,  129,  186. 
Bunker  Hill  Monument,  217. 
Burnside,  Ambrose  E.,  104,  132. 
Butterfield,  Benjamin,  i,  2. 
Butterfield's    Brigade,    71-3,    78, 

80-1,  233. 


375 


BUTTERFIELD,  DANIEL — Birth,  7 ; 
Graduation  from  Union  College, 
8;  Goes  to  New  Orleans,  9; 
Removes  to  New  York — Be 
comes  Colonel  of  Twelfth,  10; 
Member  of  Clay  Guards,  n; 
At  Camp  Anderson,  19;  Leads 
into  Virginia,  24;  Joins  General 
Patterson,  26;  Appointed  Briga 
dier-General,  28;  Receives  Com 
mission  in  Regular  Army,  30; 
Strict  Disciplinarian,  31 ;  Gal 
lantry  in  Battle,  32;  Writes 
Poem,  42;  Receives  Compli 
ment,  46 ;  Composes  Bugle  Calls, 
47-8;  Aids  Soldiers,  50;  Mili 
tary  Service,  51 ;  Captures  Gun, 
53;  Official  Reports,  54-65;  His 
Gallantry,  69;  Receives  Gold 
Spurs,  72 ;  Speech,  73-5 ;  Wins 
Medal  of  Honor,  76;  In  Battle 
at  Games'  Mill,  80;  Military 
Service,  82 ;  Makes  Report,  83 ; 
Wounded,  86;  Commands  a 
Division,  96;  In  Battle  at  Man- 
assas,  97;  111  with  Fever,  99; 
First  Division  Order,  101 ;  Com 
mands  Fifth  Corps,  104 ;  In  Bat 
tle  of  Fredericksburg,  105-11; 
Superseded  by  Meade,  HI; 
Publishes  Order,  112;  Letter  to 
Chase,  112-15;  Hooker's  Chief 
of  Staff,  116;  Originator  of 
Corps  Badges,  117;  Camp  and 
Outpost  Duty,  119;  Highly 
Commended,  120;  Meade's  Chief 
of  Staff,  124;  Wounded  at  Get 
tysburg,  127 ;  Writes  of  the  Bat 
tle,  128 ;  Letter  to  a  Friend,  132 ; 
Moves  Army  Corps  South,  135; 
Orders  to  Howard,  136;  About 
Colored  Troops,  139;  A  New 
Command,  143 ;  Captures  Colors 
and  Guns,  144;  Through  Geor 
gia,  146;  Letter  from  Sherman, 
149;  On  Duty  in  New  York, 
150;  Relates  Lincoln  Stories, 
153;  Speaks  in  Albany,  162; 
Recommended  for  Promotion, 
166;  Receives  Sword,  168; 


376 


INDEX 


Raises  Grant  Fund,  170;  Letter 
from  Grant,  171 ;  Resigns  from 
Army,  174;  Active  in  Civil  Life, 
175;  Visits  Europe,  176;  Mar 
ries,  177;  Goes  to  Russia,  178; 
Comte  de  Paris,  Dinner,  181 ; 
Butterfield  Speech,  184;  Re 
ceives  Gift,  193 ;  Entertain 
ments,  194;  Marshal  of  Parade, 
197 ;  Gives  Lectures,  198 ;  At 
Gettysburg,  199;  Writes  Porto 
Rico  Pamphlet,  201 ;  Dinner  for 
Howard,  205 ;  In  Florida,  206 ; 
Fifth  Corps  Monument,  211-18; 
Bronze  Tablet,  219;  Death  and 
Burial,  221 ;  Tomb,  222 ;  Trib 
utes,  224-49;  Sketch  Webster's 
Funeral,  250;  Cold  Spring  Ora 
tion,  253 ;  St.  Brendin's  Voyage, 
267;  Character  and  Duty,  281; 
Third  Brigade  Address,  291 ; 
Russia  As  It  Is,  294;  Ogdens- 
burg  Oration,  311;  Herkimer 
Monument,  325 ;  Chattanooga 
Address,  328;  Fishkill  Monu 
ment,  333 ;  Cornell  University, 
341 ;  Address  at  Columbia,  360 ; 
Colonial  Policy,  362;  Presenta 
tion  at  West  Point,  369. 

Butterfield,  John,  2-8,   10. 
Butterfield,  Mrs.  Daniel,  223,  229, 

249. 

Butterfields  of  Middlesex,  2. 
Butterfield,  Wasson  &  Co.,  4-6. 

Caldwell's  Brigade,  91. 
Cameron,  Simon,  n. 
Camp  Anderson,  19,  22   37. 
Camp  Winfield  Scott,  53. 
Carlin,  William,  P.,  143. 
Carnegie,  Andrew,  199. 
Cayuga  Lake,  348. 
Centennial  Celebration,  197. 
Century  Magazine,  47-8,  152. 
Central  Park  Trees,  138. 
Cervera,  Admiral,  202. 
Chambers,  Robert,  277. 
Chancellorsville,    Battle    of,    123, 

246. 

Chase,  Salmon  P.,  in,  154-5,  157. 
Charlestown,  Mass.,  i. 
Chastellux,  Marquis,  334,  369. 
Cheddington,  England,  i. 
Church,  Capt.  B.  S.,  25. 


Church,  William  C,  183. 
Clay,  Cassius  M.,   n. 
Clay  Guards,  Washington,  n,  231. 
Clews,  Henry,  171. 
Clinton,  George,  347. 
Cold  Harbor,  83-4. 
Cold  Spring,  253,  334. 
Colored  Troops,  139. 
Concord,  Mass.,  I,  2. 
Constitution  Island,  334. 
Cornell,  Alonzo  B.,  10,  109. 
Cornell,  Ezra,     10,  341-60. 
Cornell  University,  341,  347. 
Cornwallis,  Lord,  369,  374. 
Corngan,  Archbishop,  274. 
Couch,  Darius  N.,  90,  107. 
Coxe,  Alfred  C.,  219. 
Cragside,    Cold    Spring,   48,    176, 

181,  193,  221. 
Creswell,  J.  A.  J.,  176. 
Gulp's  Hill,  Battle  of,  263. 
Cullum,  George  W.,  288. 
Custer,  George  A.,  186. 
Cutting,  Robert  L.,  172. 

Dewey  Reception,  231,  235. 
De  Peyster,  John  Watts,  30. 
Dix,  John  A.,  134. 
Dodge,  William  E.,  205. 
Dorchester  Heights,  372. 
Dowd,  Heman,  14. 
Due  de  Chartres,  179. 
Due  d'Orleans,   180. 
Duchess  County,  N.  Y.,  339. 
Dudley,  Gov.  Thomas,  2. 
Dyer,  George  R.,  221,  225. 

Earnst,  Colonel,  196. 

Ehlers,   E.   M.   L.,  169,  221,  240, 

326. 
Eighty-third    Pennsylvania,    91-4, 

98. 

Elder's  Battery,  95. 
Eleventh  Army  Corps,  135. 
Eliot,  Rev.  John,  2. 
Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo,  324. 
Emott,  James,  176. 
Erickson,  Lief,  268,  278. 
Evans,  Robley  D.,  204. 
Ewell,  Benjamin  S.,  78. 

Fargo,  William  G.,  5. 
Farrar,  Canon,  177. 
Faxton,  Theodore  S.,  3,  4. 
Fenton,  Reuben  E.,  12. 


INDEX 


377 


Fifth   Army    Corps,    32,    76,    104, 

III,    210. 

Fishkill  Monument,  333. 
Floyd-Jones,     Rev.     Elbert,    221 

227. 

Forbes,  Edwin,  223. 
Fort  Corcoran,  52. 
Fort  Donelson,  65. 
Fort  Fisher,  254. 
Fortress    Monroe,  82. 
Fort  Sumter,  20. 
Forty-Fourth  New  York,  51,  68, 

74,  80,  91-2,  98. 
Franklin,  William  B.,  169. 
Fredencksburg,   Last  Charge  at, 

320. 
Fremont,  John  C,  35. 

Games'    Mill,    Battle    of,    50,    53 

76-82,  94. 

Garrett,  John   W.,   137. 
Gettysburg,    Battle    of,    245,    261 
Gherardi,  Admiral,  195. 
Gibbon,  John,  256. 
Gibbons,  Cardinal,  274-5. 
Gillmore,  Quincy  A.,  157-8. 
Golden  Hill,  N.  Y.,  327. 
Gordon,  John  B.,  2. 
Governor's  Island,  167. 
Grant,  Gideon,  M.D.,  183. 
Grant,    Ulysses    S.,    12,    127,    131, 

162,   171,   186,  220. 
Greeley,   Horace,  157. 
Greene,  George  S.,  183,  199. 
Greene,    Nathaniel,  373. 
Gregg,  David  M.,  128,  265-6. 
Greece,  Queen  of,  178-9. 
Griffin,    Charles,    50,    62,    66,    78, 

89,  96,  105-7. 

Hall's  Hill,  Va.,  51,  99- 
Hamilton,  Alexander,  360. 
Hamilton's  Division,  52,  55. 
Hancock,  Winfield  S.,  125. 
Hanover  Court  House,  Battle  of, 

6o-i,  64. 

Harlem  Heights,  373. 
Harper's  Ferry,  Va.,  51. 
Harney,  William  S.,  99. 
Harrison,  Benjamin,  183,  197,  205, 

233,  248. 
Harrison's   Landing,  Va.,  48,  83, 

88,  92,  95- 

Hay,  John,  152,  154-5. 
Helderberg,  near  Albany,  2. 


Herkimer,  Colonel,  325. 
Hill,  Ambrose  P.,  77-9. 
Hill,  Edward,  50,  209,  211. 
Hill,  Daniel  H.,  77-8. 
Heintzelman,   Samuel   P.,    14,   37, 

96. 

Henry,  Joseph,  34. 
Holland,  Mrs.  Alexander,  7. 
Hood,  John  B.,  81. 
Hooker,  Joseph,  3,  4,   12,   15,  55, 

77,   no,  112,  122,  133,  143,   149, 

161,  166,  206,  247,  249,  328,  332. 
Howard,  Oliver  O.,  136,  169,  249. 
Howe,  Gen.  William,  372-4. 
Humphreys,    Andrew    A.,    105-7, 

126. 

Irish  Brigade,  91. 

Jackson,  Thomas  J.,  50,  77-8,  81, 

246. 

James,   Francis   P.,  253. 
James,  Airs.  Julia  L.,   177. 
Jesup,  Morris  K.,   172. 
Johnson,  Colonel,  66. 
Johnston,  Joseph  E.,  u,  27,  144-5, 

187. 
Joinville,   Prince  de,  87,  179. 

Kearny,  Philip,  30,  99,  360. 
Kemble,  Gouverneur,  176. 
Ketteltas,  Henry,  361. 
King,  Gen.  Rufus,  96. 
King,  Horatio  C.,  210. 
Kingsbury,   Colonel,  63. 
Kirklar.d,  Joseph,  no. 
Kobbe,  Gustav,  47. 
Kusnakoff,  Admiral,   195-6. 

Lafayette  Post,  199,  200,  230,  361. 
Lee,  Robert  E.,  133,  187,  210,  226, 

246,  308. 
Lincoln,     Abraham,     29,     151-62, 

199,  246,  333. 

Lincoln,  Mrs.  Abraham,  159-60. 
Livingston  &  Fargo,  6. 
Livingston,  Johnston,  46. 
Livingston,  Wells  &  Co.,  5. 
Locke,  Frederick  T.,  18,  26,  no. 
Long  Bridge,  Washington,  37. 
Longstreet,  James,  77-8,  80-1,  134, 

206,  333. 

Lookout  Mountain,  137-8. 
Lowell,  James  Russell,  368. 


378 


INDEX 


Lugard,  Edward,  29. 
Low,  Mayor  Seth,  362-9. 

McCall's  Division,  77-8. 
McClellan,  George  B.,  52,  58,  71, 

p6,  89,  147,  186. 

McDowell,   Irwin,   19,  22,  76,  96. 
MeKeever,  Chauncey,  55,  58. 
McKinley,  William,  204,  211. 
McMahon,   Marshal,  266. 
Malvern,   Hill,   Battle  of,  74,  89, 

95- 
Mansfield,  Joseph  K.   F.,   14,  24, 

239- 

Marcy,  Randolph  B.,  54,  187. 
Martin's  Battery,  68. 
Martindale,  John  H.,  62-3,  82,  86, 

90,  94-5- 

Marye's  Heights,  304,  309. 
Mason,  James  M.,  151-2. 
Meade,  George  G.,  78,  111-2,  116, 

124,  245,  249,  261. 
Meagher's  Brigade,  79. 
Miles,  Nelson  A.,  211. 
Miller,  Warner,  205. 
Mills,  Colonel,  226. 
Minutes  of  Council,  259. 
Morell,  George  W.,  61-3,  65,  77-8, 

80,  83-4,  90,  92. 
Morgan,  Edwin  D.,  u. 
Morris,  Thomas   E.,  210. 
Mount  Vernon,  Va.,  188. 

National  Bank,  Cold  Spring,  175. 
National    Museum,    Washington, 

339- 

New  York  Zouaves,  62. 
New  York  Gaelic  Society,  267. 
North  American  Review,  127. 
Norton,  Charles  B.,  63-4. 
Norton,   Oliver  W.,  47. 
Nott,  Eliphalet,  D.D.,  7,  281. 

Old  Guard  Association,  13,  223. 
Oliver,  Paul  A.,  30,  94,  145,  169, 

240. 

Olmstead,    Gamaliel,   2. 
Oneida  County  Battle  Flags,  219. 
Oriskany,  Battle  of,  327. 
Osterhaus,    Peter  Joseph,  330. 
Overland   Stage   Company,   4,   8, 

10. 

Parke,  John  G.,  308. 
Paris,  Comte  de,  177,   179,  190-3, 
261. 


Parker,  Jason,  3,  4. 

Paulding,  James   K.,  176. 

Parseval,  Colonel  de,  263. 

Patterson,  Robert,  n,  25,  51. 

Perkins,  Henry  W.,  64. 

Philip,  John  W.,  201,  203. 

Pliny  the  Elder,  277. 

Poe,  Colonel,  58. 

Pope,  John,  42,  45,  97-8. 

Porter,  Andrew,  58. 

Porter,    Fitz-John,    31-2,    47,    53, 

59,  61-3,  65,  68,  72,  82,  84,  89, 

97-8. 

Portugal,  Queen  of,  180. 
Potter,  Henry  C.,  199,  205. 
Princess  Salm-Salm,  160. 
Prince  Tharah,  194. 

Raymond,  Andrew,  V.  V.,  8,  319. 
Records  of  the  Rebellion,  246. 
Reid,  Whitelaw,  205. 
Reynolds,   John    F.,    12,   96,    125, 

128. 

Roberts'  Brigade,  96-7. 
Roberts,  Ellis  H.,  3. 
Roosevelt,  Theodore,  201-4. 
Root,  Elihu,  201,  211. 
Roscrans,  William  S.,  135. 
Round  Top,  Pa.,  101. 
Ruggles,  George  D.,  97. 
Russia,    Emperor   of,    178-9,    195. 
Russia,  Empress  of,  178-9. 
Rutgers,  Harmon,  360. 

Salomko,  Baron,  178. 
Sampson,  William  T.,  202-3. 
Saxton,  Rufus,  156-8. 
Savage   Station,   Va.,  95. 
Schofield,  John  M.,  181. 
Schenck,  Robert  C.,  124. 
Schermerhorn,  F.  A.,  360. 
Scott,  Thomas  A.,  136. 
Scott,  Winfield,  II,  25-7,  30,  176, 

221,  245. 

Scudder,  Henry  J.,  132. 
Second   Bull   Run  Battle,  49. 
Sedgwick,  John,   123,   186. 
Serrell,  Edward  W.,  150. 
Seven  Days'  Battles,  76. 
Seward,  Frederick  W.,  u,  199. 
Seward,   William    H.,    151,    154-5, 

188. 

Seymour,  Horatio,  7. 
Sharpe,  George  H.,  128. 
Sheridan,  Philip  H.,  174,  186. 


INDEX 


379 


Sherman,    William    T.,    142,    144, 

147,    149,    181-2,    187,    197,    249, 

328. 

Sickles,  Daniel  E.,  130,  160-2. 
Sidman.  George  D.,  50. 
Sigmi   Phi  Fraternity,  8. 
Sixth  Massachusetts,  29. 
Sixteenth  Michigan,  92,  98. 
Slidell,  John,  151-2. 
Slocum,  Henry  W.,  80,   190,  192, 

249. 

Smith,  Andrew  J.,  143. 
Smith,  William  F.,  83,  87,  89. 
Society,   Cincinnati,  339. 
Sprague,  Charles  E.,  236. 
St.  Brendin's  Voyage,  267. 
Stanton,  Edwin  M.,  154,  157,  166. 
Stewart,  Alexander  T.,   170,   172. 
Stockton,  T.  B.  W.,  56,  60-1,  63, 

70,  107. 

Stoneman,  George,  82,  109. 
Storrs,  Mrs.  William  M.,  7. 
Stuart,  J.  E.  B.,  76. 
Sturgis,  Samuel  D.,  105. 
Stryker,  Colonel,  63. 
Summer,   Charles,   138,    154-8. 
Sumner,  Edwin  V.,  79,  186. 
Swayne,   Wager,   205. 
Sykes,  George,  50,  78,  80,  89,  91, 

96,99. 

Third    Brigade    Association,    80, 

99- 
Thomas,  George  H.,  12,  145,  149, 

1 66,  329. 

Tileston,  Colonel,  56,  58. 
Tremain,  Henry  E.,  169,  244. 
Twelfth  Army  Corps,  135. 
Twelfth  New  York  Regiment,  37, 

74,  8p,  86,  93,  98.  226,  232. 
Twentieth  Army  Corps,  143. 
Tzarskoe-Selo,  178. 

Union  College,  199,  249,  352. 
Upton,  Emory,  23. 


Vandenburgh,  General,  35. 
Van   Rensselaer  Manor,  2. 
Vegesack,  Major,  87,  89. 
Von    Humboldt,   Alexander,   352. 
Vrooman,  John  W.,  325. 

Wadsworth,  James   S.,   186. 

Walker,  Capt.  Joseph,  2. 

Wallach,  Richard,  138. 

Ward,  Col.  John,  20. 

Ward,  William  G.,  13,  19,  21,  26, 

41. 
Warren,    Gouverneur   K.,   50,  90, 

107,  no. 
Washington,  George,  33,  188,  318, 

369-74. 

Washington,  Peter  G.,  17. 
Webb,  Alexander  S.,  124,  265. 
Webb,  Samuel  B.,  2. 
Webster,    Daniel,   217,   250. 
Weedon's  Battery,  53. 
Weed,  Stephen  H.,  no. 
Weeks,  Henry  A.,  29,  60. 
West  Point,  N.  Y.,  335. 
Wellington,  Duke  of,  170. 
Wells,  Henry,  4,  6. 
Wheeler,  Joseph,  137. 
Whipple,  William  D.,  146. 
Wilcox,  Cadmus  M.,  82. 
Wilkes,  Charles,  151. 
Willett,  Marinus,  327. 
Williams,  Alpheus  S.,  55,  107-8-9. 
Wilson,  George  Sibbald,  304. 
Wilson,  Henry,  in,  333. 
Wilson,    James    Grant,    180,    184, 

240,  247. 
Woodford,  Stewart  L.,  360. 

Yale  University,  9. 
Zook's  Brigade,  309. 


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